Joseph Domenech Countries Quotations

We are not blaming the countries involved who are doing all they can. But it is proving very hard to shut down markets, to slaughter chickens. Livestock is many people's livelihood. It is very worrying.

FAO is concerned that poor countries in southeast Europe, where wild birds from Asia mingle with others from northern Europe, may lack the capacity to detect and deal with outbreaks of bird flu.

The Middle East and northern African countries should be able to build up a line of defense against avian influenza. FAO is more concerned about the situation in eastern Africa, where veterinary services, due to various constraints, should have more difficulties to run efficient bird flu campaigns based on slaughtering infected animals and vaccination,

The countries concerned and the international community have to make every effort to ensure that bird flu does not become endemic in Africa.

The countries urgently need international assistance to build up basic surveillance and control systems.

The fears are very high because many African countries are not in a very good position to respond to this kind of crisis, ... If there is no more support for veterinary services in Africa, then we may face a very, very severe problem.

The close proximity between people and animals and insufficient surveillance and disease control capability in eastern African countries create an ideal breeding ground for the virus,