In the past four decades, it was clear that the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is connected to the evolution of the means of transportation and communication. •There is no region in the world other than the Middle East that can show the increased introduction of new serotypes of FMD viruses due to the increased trade activities and developed means of transportation. •The region is still in the center of the international transportation due to its location at the cross-roads of the international shipping routes G. Yehia, A. Petrini and J. Domenech OIE

1. What is happening in bordering
West Eurasia regions?
Situation in Middle East and North
Africa
G. Yehia, A. Petrini and J. Domenech
OIE
4th West Eurasia Annual Roadmap Meeting
2-4 April 2013, Bakou, Azerbaijan

2. Dr Ghazi Yehia
OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East
FMD Situation in the Middle East
Regional Action Plan
Stages of FMD Control Progress in
Middle Eastern Countries

3. Introduction
• In the past four decades, it was clear that the spread of foot-and-
mouth disease (FMD) is connected to the evolution of the means
of transportation and communication.
• There is no region in the world other than the Middle East that
can show the increased introduction of new serotypes of FMD
viruses due to the increased trade activities and developed
means of transportation.
• The region is still in the center of the international
transportation due to its location at the cross-roads of the
international shipping routes.
• Instead of leading to reducing the threat of the disease, the
classical approaches led to the introduction of new strains and
serotypes of FMD virus and some of which are vigorous and
more devastating than the traditionally endemic ones (O&A).

4. Potential Sources of circulation of FMD Strains in the ME
Area

5. FMD situation 2012
Countries 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Jordan
Lebanon
Syria
Iraq

6. FMD Control Roadmap
• Countries of the Middle East have made practical
progress since 2009 based on:
– better awareness of the FMD risks
– identifying "new epidemic events" at an
earlier stage and early reporting
• Virus circulation at regional level & large epidemics
continue to occur despite control measures and
mass vaccination campaigns.
• Gaps in preventive measures, surveillance
strategies & limited control of animal movement at
border posts.

7. • There is a need to establish an FMD buffer zone in
the Middle East since the region could be considered
a ‘mixing vessel’ for introducing FMD viruses from
both the Far East and the African countries.
• The amendment of the FMD Chapter in the OIE
Terrestrial Code provides provisions for the
endorsement of the national FMD control programs.
• This will provide a fast track for the official
recognition of FMD freedom.

8. West Asia Roadmap (GF TADs)
2 sub-groups :
- East of the Mediterranean countries:
(Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria.)
- GCC countries + 1:
( Bahrain, KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, UAE
and Yemen).

9. Guidelines of Actions
A- At a Country Level
- Develop and improve national control plan for FMD.
- Improve capabilities of National Laboratory/ies.
- Actions to reduce risk of animal movement.
- Economic analysis, stakeholders inputs.
- Sharing data on vaccination, serological surveys and FMDV at
suitable scale .
- Improved human resources for epidemiology, risk assessment
& management .
- Continuous Participation in FMD regional meetings.
B- At the regional level
- Collaboration to develop sustainable strategies
- International support to promote reviews of national
strategies.
- Capacity building for surveillance, control and diagnostic
capabilities
- Collaboration in bilateral border control of animal movement.

10. WORKPLAN
• Objectives
• Progress within and the way forward to next PCP
stage
• Overcome main challenges with the support of
international organisations
• Objectives of a 5 years programme
• Major priorities for investment.

11. Major axes for national investment priorities
• Training
• Virus circulation monitoring: need
for diagnostic laboratory
strengthening
• Vaccination: vaccination strains
(vaccine matching), monitoring
and post vaccination evaluation,
quality control…
• Control of animal movements
• Wildlife surveys
Regional axes
• Coordination
• Regional leading laboratory
• Vaccine bank
• Control of trans boundary
animal movements

13. Cost of the national strategy:
• Use of the PVS Gap Analysis (FMD control has to
be mentioned in the Government priorities).
• Use of the costing exercise done by WB when
preparing the Global FMD Control Strategy
• Advocacy:
• Use of the PVS Evaluation and Follow Up
reports…

14. Follow up
• Harmonised format to prepare national project proposals and to
plan future meetings such as the GF TADs Regional Steering
Committee meetings and their FMD roundtables, specific Sub
Regional meetings and specific country missions when
appropriate.
• Several other issues will have to be addressed such as:
Next Sub Regional meeting in 6 months
Support to countries to prepare the project proposals
Support for monitoring of the national programmes
implementation and advice/guidance
Discussions between OIE and FAO of the NENA Regional FMD
Control programme which has been discussed during the recent
Regional Workshop in Cairo.

15. EUFMD and FAO
specific activities
See specific statements
or other presentations
during the meeting

16. Thank you

17. FMD in Africa, 2012
*Les frontières entre le Nord-Soudan et le Sud-Soudan n'ont
pas encore été officiellement validées par ces deux pays

18. FMD in North Africa

19. Libya Egypt
Serotype O Serotype SAT 2
In June 2012, 41 outbreaks in cattle and First cases in June 2012: 49 outbreaks
small ruminants in North-West and reported in cattle, small ruminants and
North East (previous outbreaks ended in buffaloes
February 2011 )
Serotype SAT 2 in February 2012
(first outbreaks in the country in July
2003)

20. FMD Control Strategies in North Africa
 Egypt has emphasized its difficulties to adress
the problem efficiently:
- Lack of funds to by vaccines
- No restriction of cattle movements between
Governorates
- No identification and registration of animals
- Illegal movements of animals from Sudan and
Libya
- No effective biosecurity measures
 No FMD outbreaks in Algeria, Morocco and
Tunisia since 1999. OIE official endorsement of
their national control programmes (2012).
Engaged in a procedure to get official recognition
of FMD freedom.

21. Activities in North Africa
• According to Resolution No. 15 (80th General
Session, May 2012) Algeria, Morocco and
Tunisia are the first Member Countries with
endorsed official control programme for FMD.
End 2012 the 3 countries informed the OIE on
the progress on the implementation of the
control programme, in accordance with the
Resolution No. 25 adopted at the 80th
General Session.
• CMC-AH mission to Libya (re-emergence of
FMD SAT2 in the country, May 2012)
• FMD Regional meeting of the UMA Permanent
Veterinary Committee (FMD control strategy
in the Maghreb area, Rabat, July 2012)

22. Activities planned by REMESA
Planned activities within the REMESA
context and possible EuFMD support will
be presented and discussed during the
40th General Assembly of EuFMD (22
April 2013 à Rome).
22
22

23. REMESA
Mediterrannean region:
Importance of trade exchanges and
other sort of movements of animals,
products and people within this region
Climate, geographical, ecosystem…
contexts are similar within the region
Many similar diseases are prevalent all
over the region
Political integration initiatives:
 Processus de Barcelone (1995)
 Union pour la Méditerranée
(2008)

24. 2009 : establishment of
REseau MEditerranéen de Santé Animale
• Chiefs Veterinary Officers
• 10 countries
• Joint Cooperation Framework

25. • It is an animal health network
established and managed by the 10
CVOs of the mediterranean region.
• It is not a project. Countries give
guidance and support/promote
network activities.
• FAO OIE Regional animal health
center animates / coordinates
discussions, exchanges and activities
• Country contributions are
indispensable.

26. Global Strategy
Two major axes:
• Strengthening of the national
capabilities)
• Development of the regional coordination
Priorité diseases : FMD, RVF, PPR, HPAI,
Rabies, BT, WNF
Initiatives from countries, OIE, FAO, UMA, EU
Key words: concertation, information
exhanges, co-organisation (including co-
financing)

27. Thank you for
your attention