Dr Domenech, FAO, indicated that this was the mode of operation at present, and expressed gratitude for the work of the Secretariat to promote regional FMD control, through regional meetings under the GF-TADS structures. Dr Pinheiro, Portugal, voiced support for the vision statement, and suggested that stronger linkage to the PVS approach of the OIE should be part of the Roadmap, to achieve the capacity changes required. The Chairman, in summing up, proposed that EuFMD should take the lead on the West Eurasia Roadmap, but in other regions the role should be to support not lead the Roadmaps. General agreement was indicated to this position, and to the proposals before the Session. The Representative of Turkey voiced strong support for the initiative and indicated willingness to support the Roadmap through hosting the Co-ordination Centre (CC), and particularly to take the lead in laboratory networking for the region. The Representative of Iran re-iterated their strong support for the Roadmap and willingness to host the CC and could provide staff and buildings to for a regional FMD epidemiology unit.
Conclusions 1.
2. 3.
The Progressive Control pathway (PCP) approach was welcomed by the delegates and endorsed by the Session as a tool that could be of great potential significance to development and monitoring of control programs; The PVS tool of the OIE is highly relevant and complimentary to the Regional Roadmaps/ PCP approach and PVS progress should be encouraged as part of the regional programs. The FMD situation in the West Eurasia region is of high priority for the EuFMD Commission, but progress in other regions will also be necessary to reduce risk to the EuropeMediterranean region.
Item 8 – Role of the EuFMD Commission in relation to the EuropeMediterranean Animal Health Network (REMSA) in supporting improved FMD control in the region The main statement on the status of development of a network for improved co-ordination on animal health (Europe- Mediterranean Animal Health Network (REMSA)) was provided by Dr Füessel, DG-SANCO, European Commission (EC). He indicated that the EC supports a close cooperation in the field of animal health, and FMD in particular, between EuFMD and countries forming part of the Mediterranean Union within the Barcelona Process. The EC, in particular DG Development, supports activities directed at the control of FMD in sub-Saharan Africa; EuFMD is encouraged to continue its established activities for sampling and characterising of viruses from animals in the Sahel zone to assist the countries in that region in their control measures for FMD, to establish an early warning system for the countries in Northern Africa bordering the Mediterranean Sea and for member countries of EuFMD. Further, the activities of EuFMD which started during the past 2 years in collaboration with other players in sub-Saharan Africa are fully in line with the strategy of "One World One Health" upheld by GF-TADs at its fourth steering committee of 10 March 2009 in Nairobi. Regarding REMSA, although the Union process for the Mediterranean (UMed) has been delayed due to political problems involved with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, this does not prevent the actions from taking place at technical level. He indicated that initial indications are that no short-term specific additional financing is expected and it is advisable simply to use as much as possible the tools already existing and financed by the EC or by the MS and to label them with "UMed", in order to prepare more important medium and long term financing. Moreover, it is not a question inevitably of obtaining more financing but of aligning and harmonizing all the current actions around one or more common strategies. Once these defined strategies are validated, means could be required via the Neighbourhood Policy of the EU (ENP) to implement them. In essence ("the overall objective") is to obtain: • As reliable and prompt health information as possible; • Surveillance and control strategies harmonised around common objectives; • Sub-regional and regional approaches of the control programmes;
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38th General Session of the EuFMD – 28-30 April 2009. FAO, Rome
