Joly announces $1M to help stem mpox in Africa as Liberals craft continental plan

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says Canada will provide $1 million to help stem the spread of mpox in Africa as her government assembles a long-delayed plan for how to engage with the continent.

The funding will go to the World Health Organization as it tries to contain the the virus formerly known as monkeypox, which has been spreading rapidly across Africa.

Joly is visiting a vaccination co-ordination centre in Ivory Coast ahead of a visit to South Africa for two days starting Wednesday.

The visit to the West African nation is aimed at exploring shared counterterrorism priorities and affirming Canada's ties with both French-speaking countries.

Joly's office says she also will discuss the economic partnership between Canada and South Africa and mark 30 years since the end of apartheid.

The trip comes days after the Liberals launched consultations on what they are now calling their approach to Africa, a plan which will include issues for governments to focus on and the best places to station diplomats.

The African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has asked Canada to donate some of its stockpile of mpox vaccines, although Ottawa has only said it's looking at how it can help.

The newly announced funding will go toward improving mpox detection and reporting systems by boosting laboratory testing and speeding up research, says Joly's office.

The funding builds on a $2-million contribution Canada made to the WHO to respond to health emergencies worldwide.

South Africa previously called out countries like Canada for hoarding COVID-19 vaccines that were sorely needed in Africa, and for not supporting efforts to lift patents on COVID-19 medicines and vaccines that are rarely allowed to be manufactured in African