Veterinary experts from around the world today attended an event at the Rome headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to mark the publication of a book celebrating the eradication of rinderpest and to launch the next phase of the global fight against peste des petits ruminants (PPR), also known as sheep and goat plague.

The world was declared free of rinderpest, a viral disease that primarily affected cattle and buffalo, in 2011. Co-authored by FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, founded as OIE), the book reviews the scientific expertise and activities during decades of eradication efforts, the contributions made by numerous UN agencies and other international organizations, as well as the outstanding role played by national veterinary services.

The book (‘Rinderpest and its eradication’) also holds important lessons for the fight against PPR, which the UN has vowed to eradicate by 2030. These include the need for strong global leadership, cooperation through continuous dialogue among partners at all levels, standardisation of technical and reporting tools and the supporting role of networks, including of laboratories, vaccinators and surveillance teams. In addition, the commitment and financial contributions from participating countries is critical for success.