Emerging Animal Diseases in the Middle East Region:
Potential Threats to Agriculture and Public Health
Middle East Regional Gap Analysis Workshop
Dead Sea, Jordan
July 26-28, 2016
Purpose
Identify strategic research initiatives that will enable the development of scientific information and veterinary medical countermeasures to protect animals and people. The intent of the workshop is to identify gaps in knowledge associated with priority emerging and re-emerging diseases that pose a threat to animal agriculture, food security, and public health. Emphasis will be given to zoonotic diseases but diseases that impact food security and therefore the livelihood, nutrition, and health of people of the Middle East Region will be included. The goal of the workshop is to identify high level research priorities that, if implemented, will provide scientific information that will benefit the health of animals and people. This information will be useful to identify strategic areas of research for maintaining a healthy and safe food supply for the agricultural communities and consumers of agricultural products in the Middle East Region. This workshop will include representation from government and academic scientists, food animal commodity groups, and regulatory and funding agencies.
This workshop is organized with the support of the United States Department of State, Bureau of Near East Affairs, Office of Regional and Multilateral Affairs (NEA/RMA) and USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS).