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Back Regionals Projects>GF_TADs>I Meeting>Conclusions

 
 

Conclusions
  Program description - Objetives - Priorites
Terms of Reference
Comments

1. Opening Session
Opening addresses were delivered by the President of the National Service of Health and Agri-food Quality of Argentina, Dr. Jorge Amaya, the Animal Health Director of the FAO, Dr. Joseph Domenech, the Director General of the OIE, Dr. Bernard Vallat and the Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Fishery and Food of Argentina, Ing.Agr. Miguel Campos, all of whom emphasised the importance of a regional and international approach to better coordinate policies and strategies, to avoid overlapping and to better prevent and control transboundary animal diseases including zoonosis.

2. Program description
The Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs) is a joint FAO/OIE initiative, which combines the strengths of both organizations to achieve agreed common objectives. GF-TADs is a facilitating mechanism which will endeavour to empower regional alliances in the fight against transboundary animal diseases, to provide for capacity building and to assist in implementing and developing programs for the specific control of certain transboundary diseases, based on regional priorities.
The GF-TADs program will function to a regional level throughout a Regional Steering Committee and Regional and Sub-Regional Support Units (RSUs), integrated in the Regional and Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations (RSOs).
In the region OIE and FAO Headquarters, OIE and FAO Regional Commissions and Regional Representations and the Private Sector representatives and donors representatives are included in the GF-TADs coordination mechanism.

3. Objectives
(1) A regional and worldwide leadership on the coordination and facilitation of actions against transboundary animals diseases and priority zoonosis as agreed with responsible for decisions-taken,
(2) Development of a Global and Regional Early Alert System of priority animal diseases and zoonosis;
(3) To support training and assessment on the agent causing transboundary animal diseases to a molecular and ecological level in order to increase effective and strategic management of diseases control, and
(4) Continuation and integration of ongoing sanitary programs

4. Regional and Sub-regional Specialized Organizations (RSOs-), Private Sector and Donors
The Regional and Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations (RSOs), OPS, IICA, OIRSA, CAN, CVP, NAAHC, CARICOM, the private sector as well as public and private donors are key actors.

5. Election of the President and two Vice-Presidents of the Regional steering Committee
President: Dr. Perter Fernandez, President of the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas.
Vice-President: Dr. Luis Alberto Espinoza, OIRSA.
Vice-President: Dr. Eduardo Correa Melo, PAHO-PANAFTOSA.

6. Regional Steering Committee priorities

6.1 Notes that transboundary animal diseases and zoonosis represent a serious to livestock production and trade of livestock and livestock products affecting also public health and threatening the livelihood of the rural population, due to income decreases, because of difficulties to access markets.

6.2 Define the following diseases as regional priority diseases: Foot and Mouse Disease, Avian Influenza, Classic Swine Fiver, Rabies, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Screwworm

6.3 Endorses the Terms of Reference of the Regional Steering Committee, The Permanent Secretariat, the Regional and Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations (RSOs), the Regional Supporting Units (RSUs) and the Veterinary Laboratories and Epidemiology Centres;

6.4 Notes that some countries of the Region need a Veterinary Service strengthening, which is consider of priority;

6.5 Notes that a significant progress has been achieved against some diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease, Classic Swine Fiver and Rabies and that current programs shall be coordinated and integrated to GF-TADs Program;
6.6. Organize a worldwide and regional Conference with Public and Private Sector Donors.

7. Priority Actions
Within following twelve (12) months, the following actions shall be carried out:

7.1 Strategic Vision
A document will be developed compiling a strategic vision for application in the region, concerning tranboundary animal diseases and zoonosis and strengthening of the veterinary services.

7.2 Action Plan
An Action Plan will be proposed, according to Strategic Vision and regional and sub-regional needs.

7.3 Donors meetings
Meetings will be promoted with Public and Private sector donors to a worldwide and regional level

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. Regional Steering Committee of the Americas (RSC)
1.1. Roles
• Develop an strategic vision reflecting regional animal health and zoonosis and Veterinary Services strengthening.
• Provide strategic assistance to the Regional and Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations (RSO’s), to the Regional Support Units (RSU’s) and to the countries in the prevention, control and eradication of Transboundary Animal Diseases including zoonosis.
• Promote and facilitate coherence of actions in the American countries, monitor the progress and determine indicators development for specific issues, such as: laboratories, epidemiological diseases and other activities of the sanitary programs, including applied research activities.
• Foster a spirit of cooperation, transparency, scientific background, as well as the application of OIE standards, among the American OIE member countries, donors, livestock and industry producers

1.2 Regional Steering Committee Membership
a) Countries Delegate to the OIE, elected among the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas (4)
b) Representatives of the Regional and Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations (RSO’s), PAHO-PANAFTOSA, IICA, OIRSA, CAN, CVP, NAAHC, CARICOM and other Organizations accrediting their participation.
c) Representatives of the OIE Headquarters (OIE Paris) and the FAO Headquarters (FAO-Rome).
d) The Regional Representation for the Americas with base in Buenos Aires, and the Animal Health Officer of FAO’s Regional Office for Latin- America and the Caribbean, placed in Santiago de Chile
e) Public and Private Donors Representatives, under conditions to be decided by the Regional Steering Committee, and
f) Private Sector Representatives, under conditions that will be stated by the Regional Steering Committee

1.3 Duties and responsibilities of the Regional Steering Committee
• To establish common interest issues to an horizontal level, such as the veterinary services strengthening.
• To avoid overlapping and promote complementation of Regional and Sub- Regional Specialized Organizations.
• To sensitize public and private sector donors by means of promoting policies and making conferences to a worldwide and regional level.
• To advise on Regional and Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations annual work plans.
• To assist the Regional and Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations and donors in monitoring and evaluating of the Regional and Sub-Regional Support Units.
• To ensure that the Regional and Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations provide information and coordinate implementation of agreed actions among their country members.
• To ensure that the Regional Support Units, provide reports to the Global and Regional Steering Committee, throughout the Regional and Sub- Regional Specialized Organizations.
• To report donors on specific actions.

1.4 Frequency of meetings
• The Regional Steering Committee Meeting will meet at least once a year.
• An extraordinary meeting can be convened by the President, coordinated and organized by the Permanent Secretariat.
• Between meetings, activities will be carried out by the Permanent Secretariat of the Regional Steering Committee.

1.5 Rules of meetings
• The Regional Steering Committee Meeting will have a quorum of half of the members plus one, provided that at least one each of the OIE and FAO Headquarters are present.
• Decision taking will be carried out by consensus.
• The cost of the meetings for under-developing country representatives will be financed by GF-TADs resources.

1.6 President and Vice-President
• The President and Vice-President rotates each two year, and may be reelected.
• The President appoints the Vice-Presidents in agreement with the Regional Steering Committee.
• The President has authority to invite experts on specific items of the agenda.

2. The Permanent Secretariat of the Regional steering Committee of the Americas
2.1 Location
• The Permanent Secretariat will set up its Bureau in the Regional Representation for the Americas
2.2 Roles
• Be responsible for preparing agendas, invitations, draft recommendations and reports for annual meetings.
• Organize conferences for donors in FAO and OIE Headquarters.
• To undertake and maintain communication with the Global Steering Committee.
• To organize the Regional Committee meetings
• To circulate invitations and provisional agenda at least one month before meetings.
• To attend meetings of the Regional and Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations and cooperate on issues out of Session, as require.
• To report summarized outcome of meetings to the Regional Steering Committee.

3. Regional and Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations (RSO’s) RSOs are PAHO-PANAFTOSA, IICA, and the Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations are OIRSA, CVP, CAN, CARICOM and NAAHC
3.1 Roles
Key actors in the implementation of GF-TADs are the Regional and Sub-Regonal Specialized Organizations, which in interaction with OIE, FAO, the Regional Steering Committee, the public Veterinary Services and their technical specialists, prioritize and plan strategic activities for diseases control, horizontal activities such as training and veterinary services strengthening, among others.
Integrate and continue ongoing regional actions to GF-TADs, particularly veterinary strengthening programs, Foot and Mouth Disease, Classic Swine Fiver, Rabies, Avian Diseases Programs, among other.

4. Sub-Regional Support Units (RSU’s)
The RSUs work within the framework of the Regional and Sub-Regional Organizations, analyzing case by case.
The supporting specific priorities by specialist to the RSUs will be defined by the Regional Steering Committee.
Geographical areas, based on agro-ecological and traditional animal production practices, are identified in conjunction with the importance of transboundary animal diseases for livestock production and trade and their significance for the maintenance of the most important infectious agents with zoonotic potential to spread between countries and regions.

4.1. Establishment of Sub-Regional Support Units (RSUs) The Sub-Regional Support Units will be established based on the Steering Committee strategic vision and action plan.

5. Veterinary Laboratories Network and Epidemiology Centres
• The National Veterinary Laboratories Network will be established for each disease
• OIE and FAO International Reference Laboratories and others, which compose a worldwide network, will support the National Laboratories Network and the Epidemiology Centres Network, by proving training, know-how of tools, assessing their capability, reference diagnostics, ensuring the diagnostics and epidemiological tests quality.
• The National laboratories and International Laboratories of Reference will act as nodes for diagnostic, providing training on collection of data and diffusion of information, according to OIE and Regional and Sub-Regional Specialized Organizations, throughout the CVO’s of the country Veterinary Services, the National laboratories and Laboratories of Reference.
• An epidemiology network will be established in the continent sub-regions based on Epidemiology Centres.
• The Epidemiology Centres will support the veterinary laboratories and the National Epidemiology Units by training on transferring of technology, epidemiology follow up, providing support to meeting coordination for epidemiology analysis to a national level.

COMMENTS

• For the elaboration of Vision and Action Plan, which is coordinated by the Secretariat of the Regional Steering Committee it is foreseen a budget of (USD 200.000) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DOLLARS TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND. The methodology for elaboration of Vision and Action Plan shall take into account prior experiences and maintain and close contact with GF-TADs actors.
• JICA commented that GF-TADs Steering Committee actions are in agree with the JICA objectives
• BID commented that a document to pursue funds shall be prepared.
• Dr. B. Vallat commented that many donors should participate, as they are also involve in GF-TADs, he proposed that funds should be collected as to start GF-TADs activities, to elaborate the Terms of reference and diffuse them among al GF-TADs actors. After approval of terms of reference, pass on proposal and selection mechanism of experts stage and then to the Regional steering Committee and OIE opinion and FAO Headquarters comments
• To ensure the audit work efficiency by holding meetings to a sub-regional level with different public and private sector actors.
• FAO proposes that a sub-regional auditing in the Caribbean and Andean and Meso-American sub-region countries shall be carried out in the GFTADs framework. All actors shall be invited to participate of this auditing, prior interchanging of information to all interested actors of GF-TADs Steering Committee by the Secretariat of the Regional Steering Committee.
• To take into account Dr. Lonnie J. King document on Emerging and reemerging zoonotic diseases challenges and opportunities .
• To take into account the OIE/IICA tool for the elaboration of the veterinary services vision.
• Note all regional resources to elaborate this project.
• Bear in mind the Amazonic Organization Cooperation Work on borders issues which are depressed zones and with sanitary risk.
• It has been agreed that the Inter-American Group on Animal Health Cooperation (GICSA) has accomplished a working cycle and overlaps with GF-TADs, therefore the opinion is that GICSA should remain inactive.