| dc.description.abstract | The report covers the period July to December 2003. During this period, two changes
were made in the assignment of TAs to country/region of assignment, notably in
Tanzania and Cameroon. In Tanzania, Dr Philippe Leppere took over from Dr
Wolfgang Boehle in November 2003, whereas Dr. Hanns-Achim Krebs took over from
Dr. John Woodford as TA in the Anglophone West/Central Africa region.
The mandate and/or role (s) of the TAs has so far remained unchanged except in
Tchad which has also seen changes in technical structure. Since October 31st2003,
the expert plays the role of PACE coordinator, managing the project in close
collaboration with a National Counterpart (Homologue Veterinaire Tchadien) and
under the auspices of the Directorate for Veterinary Services. He is therefore
responsible for PACE activities as foreseen by the audit missions held in April and July
2003.
Over the last six months, both national and regional TAs went on various
missions/visits in their areas of jurisdiction. Regular visits to the various countries were
especially important in regional programmes for purposes of activity monitoring and
evaluation besides acting as boosters and motivators. Consequently, the TA in charge
of West African Coastal Countries and based in Mali visited each of the seven
countries under his mandate at least once. Togo and Benin have been already visited
twice. The TA in charge of six West African Sahelian Francophone countries has over
the last six months visited each country at least once. Two countries should have
initiated a new WP on 01 November 2003. Mali did but Senegal's WP approval was
delayed until January 31st2004 in order to allow the full de-commitment of unused
funds.
During the reporting period the TAs participated in diverse international
meetings/workshops. All the TAs attended the 8thAdvisory Committee Meeting in
Bamako (November 4 — 6th, 2003), followed by the workshop on the harmonisation of
epidemiology and control strategies, jointly organised by the PEU and GTZ-IS/SATEC
(November 7 — 8th, 2003).
The main problems experienced during the reporting period are varied. The problem of
insecurity was particularly common in Northern Uganda, Ivory Coast, Democratic
Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic. In Kenya the main problems
experienced were related to delayed 2ndyear funding and conflicting interpretation of
EDF rules (also in Tanzania and Ethiopia), resulting in unpaid year 2 commitments;
postponement of applied epidemiology training for field staff; Rinderpest outbreak and
lack of project transport. The main setback in Ethiopia and Tanzania was delayed
procurement of equipment. In Ethiopia the tenders for cars, computers and car spare
parts failed due to non-competitiveness and non-conformity with the EC rules of the
analysis of the offers. It was necessary to change the tender documents in conformity
with the EDF regulations.
Activities planned for the next period are varied. Disease surveillance activities will
continue with the aim of achieving a rinderpest free status. The TAs plan to assist
closing current WP/CE and prepare new ones or necessary addenda for the
remainder of the phase, i.e. till October 31, 2004. Plans include attendance of various
meetings/workshops relating to aspects of disease control and management issues as
build-up to the next Annual PACE Conference in Gabon ( June 2004). | |
