GENEVA (AP) — U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein drew comparisons between the Ebola outbreak and the Islamic State group Thursday, labeling them “twin plagues” upon the world that were allowed to gain strength because of widespread neglect and misunderstanding.

At his first news conference since becoming the U.N.’s top human rights official last month, Zeid focused on the “two monumental crises” that he said would inevitably cost nations many billions to overcome.