OIE REGIONAL REPRESENTATION FOR THE MIDDLE EAST ACTIVITY REPORT 2007

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1 Regional Representation For the Middle East OIE REGIONAL REPRESENTATION FOR THE MIDDLE EAST ACTIVITY REPORT 2007 OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East Annual Report /7

2 The main activities in 2007 were oriented towards implementing recommendations made at several workshops and conferences held in 2006, as well as the guidelines of the OIE 4 th Strategic Plan and the PVS and GF-TADs agreement. The objectives pursued within the framework of these activities were as follows: To promote capacity building of the Veterinary Services in the Middle East countries with the support of the regional and international organizations and agencies. To strengthen collaboration with the international and regional organizations and agencies to develop a common framework in order to initiate programs for surveillance and control of animal diseases and zoonoses. To improve an animal health information system linked to all sources of data at regional and international levels for better exchange and knowledge of sanitary information. To establish consultative channels with regional NGOs working on animal health and welfare issues. 1. Workshops and Conferences th Conference of the OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East The 9 th Conference of the OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East, which was held in Damascus, Syrian from 29 October to 1 November 2007, was attended by a large number of Middle Eastern countries and Regional and International Organisations. The following issues were discussed: Implementation of WAHIS in the Middle East. The role of Veterinary Statutory Bodies and Associations in the promotion of the veterinary profession and upgrading of Veterinary Services. OIE Rinderpest accreditation scheme- Situation in the Middle East. The Geographic Information System (GIS) used for animal disease control Performance, Vision and Strategy (PVS) A workshop on Compliance of Veterinary Services Performance, Vision, Strategy in the Middle East was held in Kuwait City, Kuwait from 14 to 16 January The PVS instrument was explained during the meeting so it can serve as a guide for strengthening the activities of the Veterinary Services and enhance their performance. The main demands of the participants were as follows: OIE and other International Organisations, continue its effort to convince policy and decision-makers to consider the VS as an International public good and secure sustainable financial and human resources necessary for the empowerment of their performance for the benefit of society. Countries exercise a policy of good governance based on a continuous selfevaluation of their VS by using the PVS tool as a guide and seek OIE expertise for assistance including training of national staff and external evaluation when relevant, The newly established Central Laboratory in Kuwait be developed according to the OIE standards in order to become a regional laboratory to assist the VS in enhancing their diagnostic capabilities and subsequently become an OIE Reference Laboratory, OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East Annual Report /7

3 1.3. World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) An OIE Workshop on the new World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS), was held in Beirut, Lebanon, from 27 to 29 March The Workshop was dedicated to nominate Focal point officers from OIE Members, in charge, under the authority of the Delegates of their countries to the OIE, of the notification of terrestrial and aquatic animal diseases to the OIE. The main objectives of the workshop was to explain the requirements of the new OIE s World Animal Health Information notification procedures and to train participants on the use of the new WAHIS web application in order to assist OIE Members to provide the OIE with good quality and timely animal health information; and make it available as soon as possible to the rest of the world. 2. Collaboration with international and regional organizations - government 2.1. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Under the umbrella of the joint (OIE/FAO) programme called Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Disease (GF-TADs), a third meeting of the GF- TADs Regional Steering Committee for the Middle East (RSC) was held in Amman, Jordan, on the 4 th of September The RSC endorsed the action plan developed by the secretariat for The RSC authorised the Secretary to identify a consultant to develop a strategic vision document on regional harmonised policy for the control of animal diseases and zoonoses in the ME, aimed at capacity building for Veterinary Services. The document should address an ambitious plan to eradicate FMD in the region based on the experience of Pan African Rinderpest Control (PARC). It will also include activities related to the evaluation of Veterinary Services using the OIE Performance, Vision, Strategy (PVS) tool. The RSC considered the various regional issues involved in the context of GF-TADS and made the following recommendations: All the recommendations made by the 3 rd FMD Roundtable which preceded the RSC meeting be endorsed; An annual FMD roundtable for the region be organised under the auspices of the RSC. GCC be accepted as an additional observer in the RSC. FAO be urged to sign the Agreement between OIE and FAO for the creation of the Regional Animal Health Centre in Beirut, Lebanon within the least possible delay. The above agreement has been signed accordingly and started its operations in December 2007 at the OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East premises and more offices have been offered by the Ministry of Agriculture in Lebanon for that purpose. OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East Annual Report /7

4 Collaboration with the FAO was also taken into account in organizing two joint workshops on two important issues: Avian Influenza A Workshop on Avian Influenza Emergency Control Management in the Middle East (Gf-TADs) was held in Doha, Qatar, in May The main concerns expressed by the Member Countries were related to the application of a vaccination plan, effective surveillance and compensation, the application of the international standards and incident command system, simulation exercises and laboratory capabilities. The location and identification as well as the accreditation of a regional reference lab have gained more attention during this workshop. It was noticed that sub-regional approaches have already existed specifically at the Gulf States. Consequently, the development of a regional strategy was easily understandable and approved Foot and Mouth Disease The 4th roundtable meeting on FMD Surveillance and Control in the Middle East was held in Amman, Jordan, on 5 and 6 September The meeting discussed the following issues: Evaluation of FMD status in the Middle East. Follow up on conclusion and recommendation regarding FMD vaccine banks and strains. Trade in meat and livestock Quarantine facilities, supervision and official certification OIE-ME Draft on a Regional Strategy to control FMD 2.2. OIE Regional Representation for Africa and FAO A joint Workshop on Rift Valley Fever, control and preventive strategy with the OIE Regional Commission for Africa was held in Cairo, Egypt, from 13 to 15 June 2007, in collaboration with the FAO. A large number of participants from both commissions (Africa and Middle East) attended the workshop. The following subjects were discussed during the workshop: Epidemiological surveillance. The impact of Rift Valley fever on trade. Prevention, Control and Preparedness Plans French government A Joint (OIE/France) Workshop on BSE status and impact on trade in the Middle East was held in Amman, Jordan, from 3 to 4 September The following issues were discussed during this workshop: Descriptive epidemiology, protective measures regarding animal nutrition, measures to protect human and animal health implemented in abattoir, implementation and control on feed ban and SRM removal, Surveillance of BSE, Analytic epidemiology, OIE guidelines regarding BSE risks and Countries classification and Model of sanitary certification for trade into the Middle East. OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East Annual Report /7

5 3. Participation in meetings of other organizations Dr Ghazi Yehia, OIE Regional Representative for the Middle East and Dr Pierre Primot, Charge de mission attended the following meetings: Country Dates Name Objectives Kuwait - KSA 16 19/01 Dr Yehia Official visit of Dr Vallat Cairo (Egypt) 04/02 Dr Yehia Kuwait 05 07/03 Dr Yehia Cairo (Egypt) 05-07/04 Dr Yehia Dr Primot Hama (Syria) 23 25/04 Dr Yehia Paris 20-25/05 Roma (Italy) 27-29/06 Dr Yehia Dr Primot Dr Yehia Dr Primot Cairo (Egypt) 02-06/09 Dr Yehia Washington (USA) Rabat (Morocco) 05-08/10 Dr Yehia 26-28/10 Dr Primot Bangkok 06-07/11 Dr Yehia Abu Dhabi (UAE) Lyon (France) 12-14/11 Dr Yehia APHIS Seminar on Avian Influenza Biosecurity OIE expertise after AI outbreaks (Dr Marangon Dr Cattoli) FAO project presentation on HPAI surveillance in Africa 1 st Conference on Food Safety (Ba'ath University Syria) OIE General Session OIE/FAO/WHO Technical meeting on HPAI Joint WHO/MZCP-WHO-EMRO inter country training course on zoonotic and food borne diseases management in emergencies Global Animal Health Initiative: The Way Forward WB/OIE/FAO Première réunion de coordination régionale sur le projet de renforcement de la surveillance et des mesures contre l'iahp dans les pays du Maghreb et en Egypte Table Ronde sur la fièvre aphteuse en Afrique du Nord South east Asia Animal Welfare workshop (Biosecurity Australia) Biosafety and Biosecurity international conference 20-22/11 Dr Primot PVS assessor's seminar OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East Annual Report /7

6 4. PVS Missions Country Dates Expert Swaziland 09-22/09 Dr Yehia (Team Leader) Burundi 15-30/09 Dr Primot (Team Leader) Kuwait 19-23/11 Dr Yehia (Observer) Mali 23/11-07/12 Dr Primot (Expert) 5. Training - Formation Hany Imam: 28/07-25/08 Training course on GIS, GPS and Remote Sensing using ERDAS and ESRI RCMRD Nairobi Kenya 6. Regional Representation website Development of a new version of the website to highlight topics of importance for the regional notably in Arabic. 7. Future activities 7.1. Assistance to regional countries to comply with their obligations as OIE Members Transparency and early warning in animal diseases information reports specific assistance and training courses on WAHIS; Designation of official focal points; Confirmation of official status PVS Sensibilization of Members to request PVS evaluation; Assistance of each PVS team for the preparation and realization of in-country evaluation missions Country assistance for official disease freedom status recognition In collaboration with FAO, through the RAHC, assistance of regional Members to be officially recognize as free from Rinderpest (normal and historical grounds procedures) before Regional strategies As adopted during the 3 th GF-TADs RSC held in Amman, Jordan, start regional project on: FMD: training of designated national coordinators and implementation of a regional active surveillance on FMD virus circulating strains; HPAI: evaluation of preparedness level of each Members; RVF: implementation of a regional system to prevent the occurrence of RVF in the Region. OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East Annual Report /7

7 7.5. International conferences During 2008 two International Conferences respectively on Animal Welfare and on Avian Influenza will be held in the Middle East (Cairo, Egypt), and the Regional Representation for the Middle East will be involved with co-organizing those events and holding an OIE stand on site. OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East Annual Report /7

Report of the Seminar on FMD Progressive Control. Pathway. 18 th December Beirut, Lebanon

1 Report of the Seminar on FMD Progressive Control. Pathway 18 th December 2012 Beirut, Lebanon 1. Introduction: i. The principal aim of the FMD Seminar was to discuss the preparation of national project