| dc.description.abstract | The AC notes with concern that the recommendation of the 7th ACM for a consultant to be
appointed to review the recommendations of the Mid-Term Review (MTR) has not been
followed. These delays might result in an irrational extension of the Financing
Agreement, with inherent risks on quality issues.
The current main justifications for the extension of the PACE programme (PP) are to
allow all PACE countries to fulfil the agreed objectives during 5 years of effective
implementation in the course of which rinderpest eradication will remain an over-riding
imperative. Every attempt should therefore be made in countries still facing rinderpest
outbreaks or persistent viral activity due to lineage II rinderpest virus to divert adequate
resources towards the final eradication of the disease.
External assistance is required to assist IBAR and the EC in designing the extension but
additional resources being limited, use will have to be made of contingency funding by
certain countries. The activities of the regional coordination will have to be adjusted in
line with the limited available resources and possible extra funds from other donors and
also taking into account the results of the exercise to re-structure IBAR.
In view of the limited time left for the completion of the (PP), the AC recommends that
AU/IBAR liaise with the Donor to appoint without any further delay, a technical
consultant to examine the technical aspects of the PP and to submit a final report before
the end of the year. A U/IBAR should also, in consultation with the Donor appoint another
consultant as soon as possible to review the economic and financial aspects of the PP. An
important term of reference of the consultants will be to design a possible extension of the
PP including the re-allocation of resources based on country performance and priority
activities in relation to animal disease surveillance and control.
The AC also recommends that in accordance with Article 3.5.3 of the Special Conditions
of the Financing Agreement, AU should be requested to confirm that it will maintain the
essential personnel for the epidemiology part of animal health (4 officials) after October
2004 in order to ensure the future sustainability of IBAR. In addition to maintaining
essential staff the appointment of a permanent Director of IBAR should be a prerequisite
for an extension of the PACE Programme.
Due to the difficulties for identifying an available team of consultants, the consultation on
extension of PACE started late November 2003. PCU managed to send the 2 experts at
least for a few days in Ethiopia where they had contacts with AU-HQ and in Mali where
they met the regional coordination body. The experts presented an aide-memoire on 18'1'
of December 2003 during a seminar held within PACE-IBAR and regional stakeholders | |
