1. The document discusses regional cooperation between Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Turkey, and Russia to reduce risks from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and other transboundary animal diseases through an agreement established in 2016. 2. The main activities under the agreement include sharing information on FMD outbreaks and vaccination programs, conducting risk-based disease surveillance, testing vaccine effectiveness, and holding joint simulation exercises to improve emergency preparedness. 3. Looking ahead, the group aims to further expand risk assessment and early warning activities to additional diseases, increase inclusion of animal movement and risk mapping data, engage more countries based on regional risks, and serve as a model for enhanced cooperation in other regions.

1. 1EuFMD | Open Session special edition | #OS20se
C.Pötzsch1, T.Aliyeva1, 2, S.Kharatyan1, 3, A.Bulut1, 4, T.Chaligava1, 5,
K.Sumption1, F.Rosso1
1 European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Food and Agricultural Organization,
Rome, Italy
2 Azerbaijan Food Safety Institute, Baku, Azerbaijan
3 Scientific Center for Risks Assessment and Analysis in Food Safety Area, Yerevan, Armenia
4 Şap (FMD) Institute, Ankara, Turkey
5 National Food Agency, Tbilisi, Georgia
FMD risk reduction in Transcaucasian and
neighbouring countries – an example of
successful regional cooperation

2. 2
Statement of Intentions (SOI)
• established in 2016 under the Global Framework for the Progressive
Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF TADs)
• between the veterinary services of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Iran, Turkey and the Russian Federation.
Aim: intensified collaboration in the prevention and control
of FAST diseases

3. 3
Main activities
• Sharing of information on FMD
outbreaks and vaccination
• Risk based surveillance for FMD and other transboundary ruminant diseases
to improve early warning
• FMD post vaccination monitoring to better assess the quality of vaccines and
effectiveness of vaccination programmes
• Testing of emergency preparedness through joint FMD simulation exercises
• Improvements of epidemiology and laboratory networks in the West Eurasia
region under GF TADs
Figure: Sample view of the
data sharing platform

4. 4
Outlook
To improve regional risk assessments and early waring, activities under the
SOI will
• be further extended to other FAST diseases,
• increasingly Include animal movements and risk mapping
• include more countries, taking into account regional risks
This cooperation agreement can be a model for other regions to enhance
early warning, build confidence in the effectiveness of control programmes
and reduce the risks of animal diseases.

5. eufmdvirtual.com
8, 10, 15, 17 December 2020
EuFMD / Open Session