FAO, in collaboration with the Thai Department of Livestock Development (DLD), held an inception workshop for a new project on ASF risk mitigation and recovery for smallholder pig farmers last 24 April 2023. The USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) is funding this new ASF project. Participants from DLD, the private sector and academia convened to contribute to the planning and discussion on technical assistance to support Thailand's efforts to manage ASF through regional ASF projects. The workshop introduced the new project to stakeholders and developed a roadmap for ASF activities that will be conducted under different regional projects.

FAO participated in the ASEAN ASF workshop from 2 to 4 May 2023 in the Philippines to review the draft ASEAN ASF Prevention and Control Strategy, including the monitoring and evaluation component. The strategy's main aim is to coordinate actions to effectively prevent the spread and mitigate the impacts of ASF in Southeast Asia. WOAH organized the workshop with the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN ASF lead country (the Philippines). The different initiatives of FAO, WOAH and the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs) were presented during the meeting to support ASF prevention and control in  Southeast Asia.

FAO organized a regional consultation on veterinary epidemiology capacity development from 29 April to 2 May 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand. The meeting brought together veterinary epidemiologists from seven Member Nations to discuss solutions on how to strengthen field veterinary epidemiology training and networking in Asia, support research to create evidence for policies as well as share knowledge and resources. Representatives from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Viet Nam also shared their experiences and lessons learned in managing Field Epidemiology Training Programs for Veterinarians (FETPV) at country and regional levels. As a result, participants agreed to form a regional veterinary epidemiology network known as ENTRVST (Epidemiology Network for Training, Utilizing Veterinary Workforce and Evidence, and Sharing for Trust). Thanks to USAID and DTRA for the support.

FAO regional and country teams participated in the global consultation on avian influenza (AI), organized by FAO headquarters from 2 to 4 May 2023. Our experts joined in several panel discussions and facilitated group discussions on topics related to AI transmission, the utility, acceptance and implementation of new thinking in relation to surveillance and diagnostics for AI, and many more. The global consultation brought together AI experts from around the world to discuss the latest knowledge, challenges and new approaches to detection, prevention and control of AI, as well as the pandemic potential of current circulating strains. The workshop drafted guidance and recommendations on prevention and control of AI, which will contribute to the next FAO-WOAH HPAI Global Control Strategy.

FAO participated in the facilitation team to provide regional training on OHZDP organized by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 24 to 28 April 2023 in Phuket, Thailand. About 100 government representatives from animal, human and environment ministries in 7 Member Nations (Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam) as well as participants from Quadripartite and CDC regional and country offices were trained with a simulation exercise on methodologies of the OHZDP process to prepare, conduct and facilitate OHZDP workshops. Thanks to CDC for the support. More about OHZDP here.