The Regional Office for the Near East of the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/RNE) in collaboration with the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) will organize the meeting of the 4th Regional Steering Committee (RSC) of the Global Frame-Transboundary Animal Disease (GF-TADs) in Beirut, Lebanon.

The meeting will take place during the period from 7 till 9 April 2009, with the participation of twelve countries of the Middle East Region: Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Syria, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, as well as experts from FAO Headquarters in Rome and the Regional Office for the Near East in Cairo and other countries.

The main objective of the 4th meeting of the RSC of the GF-TADs is to follow up the activities implemented under this framework and to develop consensus for future actions notably through the OIE – FAO Regional Animal Health Centre activities.

The 4th meeting of the Regional Steering Committee will comprise the 5th Round Table for the surveillance and control of the Foot and Mouth Disease in the Middle East, which will mainly focus on preparing the OIE – FAO global conference for the control of FMD, which will be held next June in Paraguay, by establishing a project relevant to the region needs.