Permanent Representatives
Permanent Observers
Dr. Chelston Brathwaite, Director General, IICA
Dr. Carissa Etienne, Assistant Director, PAHO
Distinguished Panelists
OAS Staff
Ladies and Gentlemen:

Welcome to this important forum on Avian Flu and Pandemic Influenza.

I am particularly pleased that the OAS is hosting this event in collaboration with two of its main partners in the inter-American system – the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA).

In my view, we are at a critical moment in the Americas in terms of social, economic and political development. I believe that in order to confront challenges effectively, we must work together to share information, expertise, capacity and resources.

The nations of the Western Hemisphere, and indeed the world, continuously confront challenges that negatively impact political stability, democratic governance as well as social and economic development. At the OAS, we tend to focus on political and economic issues -- and with good reason. The new leadership at the OAS and at other inter-American institutions have now adopted a more holistic approach in the development of strategic policy. Threats such as HIV/AIDS, natural disasters and avian influenza must, of necessity, be priorities when crafting national and hemispheric agendas.

Avian influenza was first identified over 100 years ago during an outbreak in Italy. Since then, the disease has cropped up at irregular intervals in all world regions but the recent outbreak has been particularly dynamic, affecting both animal life and humans. While avian influenza -- as far as we know -- has not reached the Americas, there is no reason to think that this Hemisphere will be excluded from the relentless progress of bird flu around the world.

Avian migration patterns as well as global commerce have the effect of making us all vulnerable. As I have said before on many occasions, the concept of threat has changed. It is almost impossible to conceive of a national threat that does not have cross border implications.

At the OAS, we believe in taking a proactive approach in preparing for and confronting potential and real threats to the lives and livelihoods of the people of the Americas. Were it to reach our shores, avian influenza has the potential to significantly impact not only animal and human health but also trade, tourism and the economic stability of many of our countries.

If not addressed appropriately, these new non-political challenges can have severe negative impact on the stability of our societies and the sustainability of our economies.

In this regard, we support the development of integrated national plans and a hemispheric strategy for avian influenza control, preparedness and response. We encourage the strengthening of country and regional capacity in surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, and alert and response systems.

We know also from experience that communication is critical. The recent series of high-level meetings on avian influenza and human pandemic influenza have created public awareness and launched a dialogue process aimed at creating a shared agenda. It has also served to sensitize legislators and policy makers to this issue.

PAHO, IICA, USDA and others have been working diligently with regional and hemispheric networks to improve surveillance and diagnosis, and exchange information on the occurrence of the disease and on lessons learned. At the OAS, we continue to be supportive of this effort and call on nongovernmental organizations, community groups, the private sector and civil society at large to become informed and become involved. Confronting and containing threat must be a shared responsibility.

Finally, our 21st century world of seamless travel and global trade creates a certain level of vulnerability. Transboundary problems such as this are exactly the kind of issues that reemphasize the importance of collaboration among technical agencies in the OAS countries and among partners throughout the Hemisphere.

I would like to once again thank IICA and PAHO for organizing this event, and express my appreciation to the other multilateral organizations and industry associations that are participating in today’s forum. I believe that with collaborations such as this, we can effectively confront threats and work together to build a stable, secure and prosperous Western Hemisphere of nations.

Thank you.