Africa and Middle East to advance animal health R&D

27 October 2017. Animal experts have prioritised areas for animal research in Africa and the Middle East as part of a global strategy to reduce the burden of animal diseases.

The experts at a conference in Nigeria last month (12-15 September) prioritised opportunities for African countries to collaborate with their counterparts in the Middle East on research and funding opportunities.

The priorities include access to samples or strains of organisms, specialised facilities and expertise, and identification of international funding opportunities.

“There are diseases such as infectious bronchitis, chronic respiratory disease…which are having devastating impacts on our livestock.” Halid Kirunda, The National Agricultural Research Organisation

The conference, which included participants from countries such as Israel, Uganda and Tanzania, was organised by the Global Strategic Alliances for Coordination of Research on Major Infectious Diseases of Animals and Zoonoses – International Research Consortium (STAR-IDAZ IRC), a global initiative to coordinate research in animal health, particularly infectious animal diseases including zoonoses – diseases transmitted from animals to humans.

The regional meeting, among other things, discussed and agreed on common research priorities for both Africa and the Middle East regions, and explored the opportunities for sharing resources, including access to samples or strains of organisms, specialised facilities and expertise.