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In light of the current epidemic of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West Africa, we the undersigned civil society organizations call on ECOWAS member states to appoint a leading, influential, strong and knowledgeable West African physician or health professional as ECOWAS Special Envoy on Ebola. The current epidemic, which has been characterized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the deadliest Ebola outbreak since this virus was discovered in 1976, has claimed the lives of at least 1,552 people in West Africa including many health personnel. We applaud and support the brave work of the health personnel who continue to put their lives at risk in the care of victims of Ebola despite very difficult working environment. We stand in solidarity with our brothers, sisters, families, and communities who are battling for their lives and struggling to care for loved ones. West African economies are feeling the impact of the world's worst outbreak of Ebola. Travel and trade restrictions are limiting the deployment of medical personnel, equipment and commodities adding to the deadly risk that the EVD already poses to the communities and the economies of the affected countries and the region. This epidemic has exposed the challenges of our public health systems and our governance institutions. The recently released WHO roadmap predicts that 20,000 people may ultimately be infected in this outbreak. Therefore, the challenge ahead is steep and a lot of work has to be done urgently to stem this dangerous situation and avoid an even greater catastrophe. Cross-border coordination and collaboration necessary to stem the spread of Ebola has been haphazard and chaotic. While closure of borders may provide short term relief, it is not proving an effective way of controlling the virus and is also an impediment to cross-border technical support and humanitarian assistance, giving rise to new food security challenges. The challenge of the current epidemic calls for urgent, unified and concerted efforts by ECOWAS and the international community. Since regional collaboration and coordination have been the main impediments in the management of this epidemic, we particularly appreciate and welcome the decision of ECOWAS to put in place a regional monitoring mechanism composed of two entities: the ministerial coordination group chaired by the Ghanaian health minister and a technical monitoring workgroup with members such as WHO Afro and the West African Health Organization (WAHO). The work of this monitoring mechanism should continue even in the post-Ebola period given the negative impact that the epidemic is having on health systems, on economies, and on social ties and community relations. For these reasons, we urge the appointment of the ECOWAS Special Envoy on Ebola. Such an envoy will complement the efforts of WHO�s envoy Dr David Nabarro, help draw attention to the public health and humanitarian challenges posed by Ebola and become a regional voice and leader for a regional response plan led by African and international contributors. The Envoy could also be the voice calling for effective management and coordination of cross-border transportation and logistics. The challenge we face is extraordinary and ECOWAS needs to create a specialized platform to address this. We urge all ECOWAS member States to push for this resolution and to develop a concrete plan for operationalizing effective coordination. We call on the international community to provide needed assistance in ensuring that the response to Ebola in the region is effective, humane and sustainable. We acknowledge that the efforts of ECOWAS and the international community can only yield results if residents of the region do their part. Hence, we also urge the populations and all civil society organizations to show more solidarity by providing support to populations that are affected by EVD and be cautious by observing the preventive and protective measures identified by the WHO. Organisations de la soci�t� civile signataires/Under-signed CSOs: 1. Action Aid Liberia 2. ActionAid Nigeria 3. African Artists' Foundation 4. AFRICARE 5. AGENDA 6. Alliance des femmes pour l'Egalit� et le Genre en Guin�e (AFEGGUI) 7. Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE) 8. Association des Femmes Journalistes de Guin�e (AFJ/Guin�e) 9. Association des Juristes S�n�galaises (AJS) 10. Association Mains Solidaires (AMAS) 11. Association of Community Radio Stations (ALICOR) 12. Avocats pour les Droits de l'Homme - Guinee (ADHG) 13. Avocats Sans Fronti�res Guin�e 14. Bassa Women Development Association 15. Bassa Youth Caucus 16. Brekete Family Empowerment Project 17. CAUSE-Africa 18. CDD Ghana 19. Center for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL) - Sierra Leone 20. Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) 21. Center for Justice and Peace Studies 22. Center for Media Studies and Peace Building 23. Center for Social Justice (Censoj) 24. Center for Transparency and Accountability 25. Centre LSD 26. Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) 27. Community Development and Research Agency 28. Community Life Project � Nigeria 29. Conseil National des Organisations de la Soci�t� Civile de Guin�e (CNOSCG) 30. Council for the Development of Research in Social Sciences in Africa (CODESRIA) 31. Creative Media Centre For Development 32. CSO Ebola Response Taskforce � Liberia 33. D�centralisation Droits Humains D�veloppement Local (ONG 3D) 34. Development & Integrity Intervention Goal Foundation (DIG Nigeria) 35. Development Education Network Liberia 36. EARS for the Masses 37. Elections Coordinating Committee 38. ENDA Tiers Monde 39. Forum Civil � S�n�gal 40. Gender Peace Network 41. Human Development Initiatives � Nigeria 42. IBIS 43. IMANI 44. Initiative for Positive Change 45. Institute for Research and Democratic Development 46. Institute of Governance Reform � Sierra Leone 47. Integrity Organization Ltd (GTE) 48. L�Association B�ninoise de Droit Constitutionnel (ABDC) 49. LA CROIX BENIN 50. Liberia Feminist Forum 51. Liberia Media and Democratic Initiative 52. Liberia Media Center 53. Liberia Women Media Action Committee 54. MacJim Foundation 55. Maison de la Presse Guinee 56. Mano River Women Peace Network 57. Media Rights Agenda � Nigeria 58. Meme Droits pour Tous Guinee 59. National Civil Society Association of Liberia 60. National Civil Society Council of Liberia 61. National Youth Movement for Transparent Elections (NAYMOTE) 62. Natural Resource Management Consortium 63. Network Movement for Democracy and Human Rights (NMDHR) 64. Network of National Human Rights Institutions in West Africa (NNHRI-WA) 65. New African Research Development Agency 66. ONG SOS-Civisme/Niger 67. Organisation Catholique pour la Promotion Humaine - Guin�e 68. Partners for Electoral Reforms 69. Plateforme des Acteurs Non Etatiques pour le suivi des accords de Cotonou (ANE/PF) 70. Platform for Dialogue and Peace 71. Policy and Legislative Advocacy Center (PLAC) 72. Press Union of Liberia 73. Public and Private Development Centre 74. Public Health Initiative 75. R�seau Ouest Africain des D�fenseurs des Droits de l'Homme � Guin�e 76. Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative 77. Rights & Rice Foundation 78. Save Nigeria Group (SNG) 79. Say No Campaign (SNC) Nigeria 80. Search for Common Ground 81. Security Sector Working Group 82. Social Watch Benin 83. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) 84. Special Emergency to Restore Children Hope 85. Support Initiative for Sustainable Development (SISDEV) 86. The Centre for Democracy and Development (Nigeria) 87. TrustAfrica 88. Union des Radios Associatives et Communautaires du S�n�gal (URAC) 89. UPMB-Benin 90. WACAM - Ghana 91. WANEP -Benin 92. West Africa Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) 93. West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) 94. West African Network for Peace Building 95. Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia 96. Young Men Christian Association of Liberia 97. Young Women Christian Association 98. Youth in Technology and Arts Network 99. Youth Initiative for Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) 100. Zorzor Women Development Association 101. Open Society Initiative for West Africa