. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/504 
25 June 2004 
 (04-2756) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   French 
   
30
TH MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE ON SANITARY 
AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES, 
GENEVA, 22-23 JUNE 2004 
 
Statement by the FAO (J. Domenech ) 
 
 
1. The FAO and its Animal Health Service cover a wide range of activities concerning 
infectious and parasitic animal diseases.  Particular emphasis is placed on:  (i) transboundary diseases;  (ii) parasitic diseases;  (iii) health-environment in teractions;  (iv) veterinary public health;  
(v) the organization of veterinary services. 
2. The FAO Animal Health Service is able to draw  on the expertise available in the fields and 
subject-areas covered by the other services of the Animal Production and Health Division and by the 
other divisions of the Agriculture Department as well as the other departments.  Thus, the approach to 
animal health is an integrated approach, which takes into account the general context in which the 
sanitary problems occur:  agricultural and stock-raising systems and practices, the environment, human and animal movements, including those aris ing from natural or political crises, regional and 
international trade, global and sectoral policies and sanitary policies, and the economic environment. 
3. The FAO follows two main, complementary c ourses of action:  support for the developing 
countries in the form of projects carried out in the field, and standard setting.  These two activities are 
fully interlinked and in constant interaction, each one drawing on the results and difficulties of the 
other. 
4. The FAO Animal Health Service provides suppor t to the developing countries in various 
forms, helping to implement the SPS Agreement, the aim being to enable the countries to improve the 
performance of their livestock sectors and to help them  to adapt to sanitary standards so as to protect 
their livestock and trade, whether na tional, regional or international. 
5. The technical assistance activities intended to achieve a fuller application of the SPS 
measures include:  (i) training and exchange of information (seminars, lectures, training courses, 
communication and information support, such as web sites, electronic conferences, the publication of 
manuals and newsletters);  (ii) support for national regulatory authorities;  (iii) support for research;  
(iv) provision of technical expertise throughout  the production, processing and marketing processes. 
In the recent past, two events have been particularly worthy of note: 
 
6. The signature, on 24 May 2004, of a new FAO-OI E agreement, which replaced the former 
agreement that was fifty years old.  This agreemen t defines the areas of collaboration and provides for 
the revival of activities carried out in partnership.   It is within this framework that a specific 
agreement to combat transboundary diseases was also signed.  This initiative, known as GF-TADs 
(Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases) seeks to develop 
a regional approach to these diseases and to improve  monitoring, the early detection of outbreaks, 
warning, and the immediate introduction of measures of control.  It also provides for better data 
collection and analysis for the development of sy stems and models for forecasting crises.  GF-TADs G/SPS/GEN/504 
Page 2  
 
will help to ensure more effective action against animal diseases in the c ountries affected and better 
protection for the countries unaffected.  GF-TAD s will be implemented through the ad hoc 
subregional and regional organizations.  It is pl anned to establish a comprehensive FAO-OIE system 
for the analysis of epidemiological data, for ecasting and warning, called GLEWS (Global Early 
Warning System), in collaboration with WHO, for the zoonotic diseases. 
7. The crisis of avian influenza in Asia, whic h affected much of the region and had major 
economic and social consequences (eight countries affected, over one hundred million birds dead from disease or slaughtered).  The FAO, in close collaboration with the OIE and the WHO, provided 
determined and rapid assistance to the countries affect ed and to the countries at risk, in the form of 
13 Technical Cooperation Programmes (TCP) – 9 nati onal and 4 regional – for a total of 5.5 million 
dollars.  It also encouraged the involvement of other donors.  Such action enabled support to be 
provided  in the field in such different areas as m onitoring and detection, the implementation of action 
plans and training.  A sustained information campaign was also initiated immediately through a specific web site and a bi-monthly information bulletin  (AIDNews).  A meeting of experts was held at 
the beginning of February 2004 in Rome and a regional conference at the end of February in 
Bangkok.  Epidemiological studies designed to explain the growth and development of the crisis are 
currently under way, and subregional monitoring a nd diagnostic networks are being set up.  At the 
same time, studies are bei ng made of the socio-economic effects of the epizootic, of the requirements 
and procedures for restocking poultry, and of th e policies and methods for the reorganization and 
restructuring of the sector affected by the crisis. 
 
__________