Knowledge-sharing on the OIE Official Recognition of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Free Status

The importance of FMD free status as a tool for negotiating market access for (maybe simpler to use – “expanding trade of”) animals and animal products was highlighted by the OIE. The Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan shared experience in obtaining FMD-free status. Select CAREC countries had a dialogue with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on FMD management and import requirements and quarantine access procedures for animals and animal products. The Asian Development Bank underscored strengthening regional cooperation for safe cross-border trade.

The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program organized a knowledge-sharing event as part of the sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) Work Plan 2021 – 2023 endorsed at the second meeting of the CAREC SPS Regional Working Group in April 2021. The event was held on 25^th -26^th November 2021 and was co-organized by the Asian Development Bank, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC). The knowledge-sharing event provided insights in obtaining official recognition of foot and mouth disease (FMD) – free status.

Experts from Kazakhstan shared experience in obtaining FMD-free status from the OIE. The GACC provided information on import requirements and quarantine access procedures for animals and animal products. OIE experts provided information on the application for Official Recognition by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) of Free Status for FMD and through the FMD OIE Reference Laboratory in Italy gave information on laboratory elements to reach a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) – Free Status.