MOA, FAO jointly hold African Swine Fever Policy Event in Beijing
DATE:2014-11-25 SOURCE:Bureau of Veterinary Service, MOA
MOA and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations jointly held the African Swine Fever (ASF) Policy Event – Lessons Learnt from Europe and Policy Challenges for Asia in Beijing on Nov. 17, 2014.
Mr. Wang Gongmin, Deputy Director-General of Bureau of Veterinary Service (VB) of MOA, and Mr. Zhang Zhongjun, FAO Deputy Representative in China attended the event.
ASF is a type of animal disease requiring mandatory notification to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Due to high fatality rate of 100% and no effective solutions to eradication, this transmissible disease has the potential for rapid spread and serious socio-economic consequences.
Over recent years, ASF has rapidly spread over long distances from the traditional epidemic areas in Africa to the eastern hemisphere. Outbreaks were constantly reported in Russia and some other neighboring regions of China. As the biggest swine producer in the world, China faces serious challenges of fencing off ASF spread. The outbreak of ASF in China may cause devastating consequences to its pig farming industry.
International organizations and relevant countries also expressed great concerns over the potential of ASF further spread. Under such a circumstance, the ASF Policy Event was held in order to bring together experts and representatives of both EU and (East and Southeast) Asian countries to share experience, analyze ASF developments and discuss control policies and countermeasures. Consensus were finally reached on information-sharing, R&D of diagnostic technologies, development of national contingency plans and wildlife monitoring, so as to intensify joint efforts of controling ASF transboundary spread.
Over 40 delegates attended the event, including representatives of Bureau of Veterinary Service, China Animal Disease Control Center (CADCC), China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center (CAHEC), FAO, OIE and embassies of Poland, Spain, UK, the Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Japan, USA and Canada.