FAO Iraq Concludes Final Workshop on Animal Health Emergency Preparedness

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources-KRG (MoAWR) and the Emergency Management Centre for Animal Health (EMC-AH), successfully concluded a Five-day workshop in Erbil on “Developing a National Manual for Operations during Animal Health Emergencies / Emergency Response Plan (ERP),” as part of FAO’s project “Strengthening Iraq Veterinary Legislation and Expanding Delivery of Animal Health Services and Disease Surveillance” .

The workshop marks a major milestone in Iraq’s journey to strengthen national systems for animal health emergency management. It is built upon the Progressive Pathway for Emergency Preparedness (PPEP) which helps national services assess and enhance their ability to prevent, detect, and respond to animal health crises. 

The event brought together representatives from Iraq’s National Veterinary Services, governorate-level veterinary offices, border inspection and quarantine departments, and police authorities, and other key stakeholders. Throughout the week, participants reviewed Iraq’s PPEP results and identified priority areas for action, worked collaboratively on case-based scenarios covering alert and response phases, defined the roles and responsibilities of national stakeholders, and outlined Iraq’s National Emergency Response Plan along with an accompanying improvement roadmap.

In his opening remarks, Dr Salah El Hajj Hassan, FAO Representative in Iraq, underscored the strategic importance of this milestone for Iraq’s veterinary services: “This workshop marks a major milestone in Iraq’s journey toward establishing a fully functional animal health emergency response system. It is the twelfth and final capacity-building workshop under our ongoing project to strengthen Iraq’s veterinary legislation, surveillance, and emergency preparedness systems. The development of this National Manual demonstrates the strong partnership between FAO and national authorities to safeguard animal health, public health, and livelihoods.”

Dr. Mithaq Al Khafaji, Technical Deputy Minister of Agriculture, commended the ongoing collaboration with FAO, highlighting its impact on Iraq’s veterinary sector: “The Ministry highly values the continued partnership with FAO in developing Iraq’s veterinary systems. Strengthening animal health legislation, surveillance, and emergency preparedness is essential to protecting our livestock, ensuring food security, and safeguarding public health.”

By the conclusion of the workshop, participants produced a draft National Manual for Animal Health Emergency Operations (Generic ERP), developed a National Emergency Response Improvement Plan (ERIP) that includes a practical roadmap for implementation, and established a framework for validation and endorsement by Iraq’s veterinary authorities. These outcomes will support Iraq’s Veterinary Services to finalize and institutionalize the National Manual, ensuring improved coordination, faster decision-making, and a stronger national capacity for rapid response during future animal health emergencies.

This final workshop also marks the conclusion of a multi-year programme that has significantly strengthened Iraq’s veterinary legislation, surveillance systems, laboratory capacities, and emergency preparedness. Its achievements reflect the strong collaboration between FAO, national counterparts, and international partners in building a more resilient animal health sector in Iraq.

This initiative contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and 15 (Life on Land) by strengthening animal health systems, supporting food security, and promoting sustainable livestock practices in Iraq.