US embassy cable - 05ROME3976

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 003976 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME 
 
STATE FOR IO/EDA, NEA/ENA, EA/SEA, OES/IHA 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS; GH/KHILL AND 
DCARROLL; EGAT A/AA JSMITH; ANE/ACLEMENTS; AFR/MHARVEY 
USDA FOR OSEC STUMP/PENN/BUTLER/LAMBERT, FAS 
PETTRIE/HUGHES/CLERKIN, APHIS CLIFFORD/DUVERNOY 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH/USAID 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
PARIS FOR GCARNER 
USEUCOM FOR ECJ4 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, EAID, SENV, SOCI, TBIO, FAO, OIE, WHO 
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: FAO HOLDS SPECIAL EVENT DURING 
FAO CONFERENCE 
 
REF: (A) ROME 3949; (B) ROME 3320; (C) ROME 2979; 
     (D) ROME 1142 
 
1.  Summary.  During the 33rd session of the FAO Conference, 
FAO hosted a side event on Avian Influenza on November 23rd 
(septel on the FAO Conference will be issued shortly).  The 
aim was to update the membership on recent developments and 
the action taken by FAO as well as provide an outline for 
future action plans.  The event was chaired by Assistant 
Director General Louise Fresco, with opening remarks by 
Director General Jacques Diouf.  Presentations were made by 
1) Joseph Domenech, FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer, on the 
organization's response to Highly Pathogenic Avian 
Influenza (HPAI); 2) Cao Duc Phat, Vietnamese Minister for 
Agriculture and Rural Development on the situation in 
Vietnam; and 3) Harry Paul, Director of Food Quality and 
Animal Health, Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and 
Food Quality, on the Avian Influenza lessons learned in The 
Netherlands.  End Summary 
 
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Diouf calls for a redoubling of efforts 
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2.  In his opening remarks, Diouf stated that 150 million 
chickens and ducks have died or been culled since late 
2003, and the livelihoods of 200 million people who depend 
on poultry are at stake.  Affected countries in Asia 
collectively have lost over $10 billion in revenue.  He 
made a plea for the international community to redouble its 
efforts to stop Avian Influenza in its tracks at its animal 
source, noting the importance of the timely reporting of 
outbreaks.  He stressed the need to collect and share virus 
strain information to better understand and control the 
disease, noting that FAO and the Office International des 
Epizooties (OIE) have jointly appealed to governments to 
improve this exchange of information.  Diouf stated that, 
at a pledging meeting scheduled for January 2006 in 
Beijing, FAO and the OIE would reveal a funding plan of up 
to $500 million for short and medium term projects over the 
next three years.  Lastly, he noted that partnerships play 
a critical role in stamping out Avian Influenza 
 
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FAO concerned over quality of PRC vaccination campaign 
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3.  Domenech stated that the situation is evolving rapidly 
into an unprecedented crisis, yet efforts are underway 
across Asia to control the spread of HPAI.  For example, 
the People's Republic of China (PRC) has launched a massive 
poultry vaccination campaign, although he admitted FAO has 
concerns over the quality of this campaign.  Although there 
have been some cases of outbreaks, the situation in 
Thailand has been contained due to the highly effective 
campaign led by Thai authorities.  Based on the success of 
the three sub-regional technical cooperation programs (TCP) 
FAO launched in South-East Asia, East Asia and South Asia, 
it will launch five more in other sub-regions at risk: 
Eastern Europe and the Caucasus; Middle East; North Africa; 
West Africa; and Eastern Southern Africa.  These TCPs will 
form a network of surveillance, information and diagnostic 
capabilities. 
 
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Vietnam vaccinating 150 million chickens 
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4.  Phat stated that Vietnam is focusing much more 
attention on surveillance and reporting, and conducting 
increased patrols of villages, market places and border 
posts.  The Government is compensating farmers at $1 per 
chicken and approved a national vaccination plan totaling 
$15.3 million for 2005-2006.  From September to early 
November, 100,000 people were deployed to vaccinate 80 
million poultry; an additional 70 million poultry will be 
vaccinated by year's end.  A massive public health 
awareness campaign to educate the 8 million households that 
maintain between 5-10 chickens is also ongoing.  Phat 
closed by requesting $150 million over the next five years 
to help build up the country's health care infrastructure, 
expand training and upgrade bio-security measures. 
 
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Late detection in Netherlands spread disease 
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5.  Paul stated that the five days it took for the 
Government to confirm an H7N7 Avian outbreak in the 
Netherlands had far-reaching consequences that could have 
been prevented.  Nearly 2,000 civilian and military 
personnel were deployed in a military-like operation to 
destroy 30 million chickens (1/3 of the country's 
commercial stock).  Of the 600 people tested, 80 tested 
positive virologically, and those who became ill contracted 
conjunctivitis while one veterinarian died.  As a result, 
the Government instituted an early warning system, which 
includes monitoring egg production operations for signs of 
sick chickens, blood-tapping flocks, and a widespread bio- 
safety campaign.  Paul called for more capacity building 
worldwide to stop the disease at its source, more human and 
veterinary research and flexibility in responding to this 
"moving target," and greater cooperation between the 
veterinary industry and the private sector. 
 
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Membership responds 
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7.  During an open discussion, many FAO member states 
expressed support and concern.  The U.S. recognized the 
important groundwork already laid by FAO and its partner 
agencies, and thanked member states for their dedication 
and commitment to the International Partnership on Avian 
and Pandemic Influenza (IPAPI).  Canada offered FAO more 
coordinated veterinary support, while Norway announced a $1 
million contribution to FAO to support the three TCPs in 
Asia and another $700,000 to support the joint FAO/WHO 
effort to contain Avian Influenza in North Korea.  Norway 
also welcomed a common UN appeal for burden-sharing among 
member states. 
 
8.  Sudan stated it had established a ministerial committee 
on Avian Influenza and instituted an import ban from 
affected countries, and queried whether bans from Europe 
should also be instituted (Dr. Paul assured Sudan that 
Europe has had cases of low-pathogenic strains and thus 
European imports are safe).  The United Arab Emirates 
reported that laboratories and veterinary services were 
being set up or upgraded and an emergency national 
committee was also established.  The PRC also spoke on the 
dozen or so animal disease control measures it had 
instituted and suggested establishing a vaccine development 
center in-country.  Libya stated it had spent Euros 10 
million on internal emergency measures thus far.  Lastly, 
Swaziland expressed its gratitude to FAO for having the 
pre-emptive insight to establish three TCPs in Africa, 
where Avian Influenza poses the most serious threat due to 
the continent's lack of readiness and infrastructure. 
 
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FAO to work with U.S. PVOs to expand surveillance abroad 
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9.  In a side discussion with FAO staff, USUN-Rome learned 
that FAO's liaison office in Washington has held meetings 
with OCHA and InterAction to discuss the use of U.S. PVOs 
already working in affected countries to expand 
surveillance.  FAO would provide guidelines and/or training 
on early warning signs for infected fowl.  Within the next 
few weeks, InterAction will submit to FAO a map depicting 
where PVO staff from agencies like CARE, CRS, WVI, etc., 
are positioned and FAO will respond as to whether these 
placements can be useful to the organization's efforts in 
the region.  An expected outcome is the expansion of FAO's 
NGO networks in the field through these U.S. PVOs.  The 
FAO/Washington liaison office is also communicating with 
U.S. veterinary institutes and schools to establish a 
roster of possible veterinarians and consultants, and is a 
member of the IBM Steering Committee on Avian Influenza, 
which is working to integrate animal and human health data 
through data mining. 
 
10.  Fresco ended the event with five take-home points: 1) 
the key to Avian Influenza control and prevention is on the 
animal side; 2) increased awareness equals increased public 
communication and risk communication; 3) stronger political 
will is needed at all levels; 4) increased resources are 
needed for science, technology and research on containing 
the spread; and 5) international cooperation is critical. 
 
11. USUN Rome will continue to cover and widely disseminate 
information on FAO Avian Influenza activities. 
 
BRAKEL