AVIAN INFLUENZA: U.S. ASSISTANCE TO THE FAO/OIE

UNCLAS ROME 001149 SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/EDA, EUR/SE, EUR/WE, NEA/ENA, EA/SEA, OES/IHA USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS; GH/KHILL, DCARROLL AND BZINNER; AFR/MHARVEY, ALOZANO; EGAT A/AA JSMITH; ANE/ACLEMENTS, K/CRAWFORD; EGAT/AG JYAZMAN AND JTHOMAS USDA FOR OSEC STUMP/PENN/LAMBERT/CAINE, FAS PETTRIE/HUGHES/CLERKIN, APHIS CLIFFORD/HOFFMAN DAKAR FOR USAID/OFDA/RDAVIS AND JSCICCHITANO ACCRA FOR USAID/WARP HBOTTEMBERG; KCOONEY GENEVA FOR NKYLOH/USAID HHS FOR OGHA (STEIGER) BRUSSELS FOR USAID/PLERNER AND APHIS/PFERNANDEZ PARIS FOR GCARNER USEUCOM FOR ECJ4 VIENNA PASS APHIS CAIRO PASS APHIS FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU EAGR EAID CASC SENV SOCI TBIO FAO WHO AVIAN INFLUENZA SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: U.S. ASSISTANCE TO THE FAO/OIE CRISIS MANAGEMENT CENTER ¶1. Summary: A USDA administrative team from FAS and APHIS visited FAO HQ in Rome April 3-6 to survey FAO resource needs and determine how best to provide personnel resources to assist with HPAI emergency response efforts. FAO is moving forward with plans to establish a Crisis Management Center (CMC) for HPAI. USDA expects to be able to provide both financial and personnel resources to assist with FAO's emergency response efforts through the CMC. End summary. FAO/OIE CRISIS MANAGEMENT CENTER ¶2. The FAO/OIE CMC will serve two main functions. First, it will provide monitoring and early warning for HPAI through the existing FAO/OIE Global Livestock Early Warning System (GLEWS). Second, it will coordinate emergency response to HPAI outbreaks through rapid response and assessment teams. Regional OIE/FAO animal health centers are a crucial component of the CMC. FAO is seeking both personnel and financial resources to establish and operate the CMC. ¶3. The three top positions in the FAO/OIE CMC will be the Center Manager, the GLEWS coordinator, and the emergency response coordinator. The FAO Animal Health Service (AHA) is adamant that these three positions should be filled by FAO direct-hires and the CMC should be supported by FAO regular budget resources. Although the establishment of 3 new posts and the re-allocation of Regular Program budget funding will require approval from the FAO Director-General, AHA believes a minimum level of support from FAO's core resources is necessary in order to assure ongoing support and stability for the CMC. ¶4. Overall, AHA estimates it needs 10 people at HQ and 10 people in the regional centers to staff the CMC. (Note: OIE needs, while not discussed during the meetings in Rome, might require additional staffing in Paris, Rome, and in the regional centers.) Apart from the three positions discussed in para. 3, some, if not most, of the remaining positions could be filled by consultants and detailees from national governments on short- or long-term assignments. ¶5. The rapid response teams (RRTs) and rapid assessment teams (RATs) would be multinational and multidisciplinary. At a minimum they would be composed of 3 members and a maximum of 6 members. Experts for these teams would have to be able to mobilize on short notice (24-48 hours). USDA committed to establishing a roster of experts for the RRTs and RATs who would be pre-screened and pre-cleared by both FAO and USDA. Screening and clearance requirements include professional expertise, language skills, and medical and security (i.e., personal safety) clearances. The teams would be deployed under the FAO and/or OIE flags. ACTION ITEMS -------------- ¶6. The USDA team agreed with FAO on the following list of action items: a. USDA/FAS should conclude an agreement with FAO/Technical Cooperation (TCE) defining the general terms for providing U.S. consultants to FAO. b. FAS will provide project funds to cover certain consultant costs under subpara. a. c. APHIS will work out with TCE and AHA the pre-approval and pre-clearance procedures for experts for the RRTs and RATs. d. USDA and FAO will each establish key contact points. e. APHIS and FAS will determine whether USDA funds can be used for equipment for the CMC. f. USDA is willing to provide assistance organizing the CMC's rapid response mechanism if requested by FAO/AHA. g. USDA is willing to provide assistance organizing an incident command structure for the CMC if requested by FAO/AHA. h. FAO/AHA will provide terms of reference for rapid response experts to APHIS. CLEVERLEY