Press Release

FAO launches a new project to improve animal disease surveillance in Azerbaijan

17 July 2019

  • Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launches today a new project in Azerbaijan on the improvement of national capacity to conduct disease surveillance including veterinary diagnostics. The project aims to improve the national capacity in Azerbaijan for early detection, diagnosis, and response to important endemic and exotic transboundary animal diseases.

The main government counterparts of the project are Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency, National Reference Laboratory, Regional Testing Laboratories, and Agrarian Services Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The head of FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in Azerbaijan, Ms Melek Cakmak, chairperson of Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency Mr. Qoshgar Tahmazli, as well as representatives of the Agriculture Ministry, relevant international and national organisations, and technical and operational staff from FAO regional office for Europe and Central Asia take part in the event.

The project will overall contribute to improving animal and public health, food safety and agricultural competitiveness in the country. The staff of National Reference Laboratory and six Regional Testing Laboratories, as well as private and public veterinarians will be trained by internationally and locally recruited consultants on sampling collection and shipment, risk-based surveillance and outbreak investigation.

Shahin Huseynzade

Shahin Huseynzade

FAO
Communication Advisor

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