Second Meetings of the Coordination Committee and the Joint Steering Committee of the OIE/Japan Special Trust Fund Programme for HPAI Control at Source in Southeast Asia (Bangkok, Thailand, 13-15 December 2006)
The Second Coordination Committee Meeting for the Japan Special Trust Fund Programme for HPAI Control at Source in Southeast Asia, convened in Bangkok on 15 December 2006.
The Coordination Committee Meeting was chaired by Dr Shiro Yoshimura, an alternate of the Representative of the Permanent Secretariat of the Regional GF-TADs Programme. It was attended by representatives from the three parties of the Committee: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF); the World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE); and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) or their alternates from the eight participating countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) also participated in the Meeting. In addition, OIE and FAO staff associated with the Programme, as well as their national counterparts attended the Meeting. Representatives from ASEAN Secretariat and Japan International Cooperation Agency were invited as observers.
The Meeting was opened by a speech by: Dr Toshiro Kawashima, Director of Office of International Animal Health Affairs, Animal Health Division, Food Safety and Consumer Affaires Bureau of MAFF. On behalf of the donor, he introduced the Government of Japan’s (GOJ) strong and continuous commitment to tackling HPAI in the region and globally, and emphasised the importance Japan attaches to region-wide efforts for effective control as exemplified by this Programme. Dr Kawashima acknowledged that the Programme has contributed to creating effective mechanisms for surveillance, diagnostic capacity upgrading and emergency notification, and expressed his Government’s expectation that participating countries, in collaboration with OIE and FAO, achieve successful control and eventual eradication of HPAI with effective inputs from this Programme.
Dr Kawashima’s speech was followed by remarks by: Dr Alain Dehove, Coordinator of the World Animal Health and Welfare Fund of OIE; Dr Shiro Yoshimura, Senior Deputy Regional Representative for Asia and Pacific of OIE; Mr Nay-Myo Hla, Acting Director of the FAO Regional Office in Asia and the Pacific; and Dr Joseph Domenech, CVO and Chief, Animal Health Service of FAO. All the speakers appreciated GOJ’s support, and acknowledged the continuous relevance of this Trust Fund Programme to the region. They also noted synergy between the OIE and FAO Projects under the Programme, as well as increasing good cooperation and collaboration among all the parties involved.
Dr. Laurence Gleeson of FAO ECTAD RAP, co-chair of the Joint Steering Committee, gave a summary report of the discussions and presentations of the Joint Steering Committee which preceded this Coordination Committee Meeting (please see Attachment for the summary and conclusions presented).
The Coordination Committee Meeting reviewed and accepted the conclusions of the Joint Steering Committee Meeting as presented.
CVO and/or his/her alternate from each of the eight participating countries presented the situation of HPAI and control measures undertaken or planned.
(Conclusions)
- A summary report of the discussions and conclusions of the Joint Steering Committee Meeting was accepted as presented.
- The Second Joint Steering Committee Meeting acknowledged the necessity to extend the Programme period. The need for the Programme Period extension was also reiterated by some participating countries at the Second Coordination Committee Meeting. The Donor representative remarked that he would discuss this matter with relevant parties in the GOJ.