AVIAN INFLUENZA: ENCOURAGING FAO TO DEVELOP A

UNCLAS ROME 003949 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDING WARSAW) FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME STATE FOR OES/IHA HFOSTER, IO/EDA SKOTOK FAS FOR FAA/IO/WE/SBLEGGI, MFAIR USDA FOR APHIS/IS/SHEESLEY WARSAW FOR FAS MINISTER COUNSELOR WARSAW FOR ECON OFFICER INFO FOR FAS/FAA/IO/EEE, FAS/FAA/IO/WE, FAS/FAA/IS/KMS, FAS/FASTO_CHRON, FAS/ICD/IOID, USDA/APHIS/BRS, USDA/APHIS/DA, USDA/APHIS/HQ, USDA/APHIS/OA, USDA/APHIS/PREC, USDA/ARS, USDA/FSIS USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS; GH/KHILL AND DCARROLL; EGAT A/AA JSMITH; ANE/ACLEMENTS; AFR/MHARVEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR TBIO EAID AORC FAO OIE SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: ENCOURAGING FAO TO DEVELOP A NEEDS ASSESSMENT TOOL REF: (A) ROME 3320, (B) ROME 2979 ¶1. Summary: USDA APHIS Administrator Ron DeHaven met with FAO veterinary officials Samuel Jutzi and Jan Slingenbergh on November 29 to discuss ways to improve collaboration between USDA and FAO on Avian Influenza. OIE official Alex Thiermann also participated in the meeting. FAO is currently focused on preparations for the Beijing pledging conference scheduled for January ¶2006. According to FAO, the global target for the Beijing conference will be $1 billion, of which half is needed for managing the animal health side of the issue. DeHaven stressed the critical need for a uniform approach to country-by-country needs assessments in advance of the Beijing meeting. End summary. ¶2. USDA APHIS Administrator Ron DeHaven paid an introductory call on Samuel Jutzi, Director of the FAO Animal Production and Health Division, and Jan Slingenbergh, an FAO staff veterinarian. Alex Thiermann, a senior official with the International Organization for Animal Health, also joined the meeting. DeHaven was accompanied by Peter Fernandez, APHIS regional representative in Brussels, Jay Mitchell, APHIS Trade Policy Advisor, and David Hegwood, Agricultural Minister- Counselor, USUN Rome. The primary purpose for the meeting was to discuss how APHIS and FAO could collaborate more closely on fighting avian influenza as an animal health issue. ¶3. Jutzi noted that FAO is focused on preparations for the Beijing pledging conference, which is being jointly organized by WHO, OIE, FAO, and the World Bank, in late January. According to Jutzi, the funding target is $1 billion, of which half would be designated for controlling avian influenza in poultry. He emphasized, however, that the immediate (6 months) and urgent need is for $60 million. Of this $60 million, FAO projects its budget requirements at about $40 million. The remainder would be rounded out by direct donor investments in infected and at-risk countries. The immediate and longer- term budget estimates are consistent with those developed for the Geneva Conference in November 2005. ¶4. DeHaven emphasized the importance of a systematic approach to needs assessments in infected and at-risk countries. Jutzi acknowledged that this is currently a weak spot. In preparation for Beijing, the World Bank has been carrying out needs assessments in a small sample of countries in an effort to create a needs assessment template. FAO and OIE have been carrying out more extensive needs assessments over the last two years, but there has been no uniformity to the effort. The WHO has also been carrying out needs assessments, but focused only on the human health dimension. DeHaven suggested FAO and OIE use the existing OIE veterinary systems assessment tool as the basis for developing a needs assessment tool for avian influenza. He further offered that a group of scientific experts could be convened on short notice to help develop the needs assessment tool. Finally, he noted that a country-by-country needs assessment would help to ensure better donor support at the Beijing conference. Jutzi agreed with DeHaven's suggestions. DeHaven agreed to send a letter to FAO and OIE requesting they commence work on the needs assessment tool as quickly as possible. Hall