The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), together with regional and international partners and Member Countries, has launched a new strategy to strengthen the prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) through 2030.
The Middle East Foot-and-Mouth Disease Prevention and Control Strategy 2026–2030 was launched during a virtual event on September 29, establishing a common regional framework for prevention, preparedness, surveillance and control of one of the most significant transboundary animal diseases affecting livestock production.
The strategy brings together 14 countries across the region: Libya, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Bahrain, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
FMD continues to pose risks to livestock production, food security, livelihoods and trade across MENA. Cross-border movements of animals and animal products, combined with differences in national capacities for surveillance, vaccination, preparedness and outbreak response, increase the risk of disease transmission and recurring outbreaks.
“Foot-and-mouth disease does not stop at borders, and neither should our efforts to prevent and control it,” Abdulhakim Elwaer, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, said.
Elwaer described the launch as an important step toward a more coordinated regional approach, bringing countries and partners together around shared priorities, stronger preparedness and collective action to protect livestock, livelihoods and food security.
Thanawat Tiensin, FAO Assistant Director-General, Director of the Animal Production and Health Division and Chief Veterinarian, stressed that effective FMD control requires strong veterinary systems, reliable surveillance and the capacity to respond quickly when risks emerge.
He said the strategy provides countries with a shared framework to strengthen these foundations and promote greater alignment between national and regional efforts.
Tiensin also highlighted FAO’s Global Partnership Programme for Transboundary Animal Diseases (GPP-TAD), a country-owned framework designed to bring partners together, facilitate collaboration and connect shared priorities with coordinated action and investment.
Strengthening Regional Cooperation
Presenting the strategy, Mohammed Bengoumi, Animal Production and Health Officer at FAO’s Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa, outlined its vision, objectives and implementation framework.
He highlighted the participatory process through which the strategy was developed, emphasizing stronger regional coordination, national capacities, knowledge and information sharing, as well as coordinated action to reduce the impact of FMD.
Ahmad Al Majali, WOAH Regional Representative for the Middle East, stressed the importance of cooperation, transparency and timely information exchange among countries in addressing transboundary animal diseases.
“The Middle East FMD Strategy provides an important platform for strengthening regional collaboration and supporting countries in their efforts to reduce the risks and impacts of FMD,” Al Majali said.
Regional organizations are also expected to play an important role in supporting implementation and strengthening cooperation among countries and technical partners.
Samah Eid, Deputy Director-General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), said agriculture and livestock are central to livelihoods and food security across the Arab region.
She added that stronger cooperation to prevent and control FMD would contribute to protecting agricultural production, trade and rural livelihoods.
The strategy also reflects the importance of sustained technical cooperation with specialized partners, including the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD).
Shahin Baiomy, Risk Management Technical Specialist, speaking on behalf of EuFMD, said the region had made important progress in strengthening its approach to FMD, while continued coordination remained essential to address the risk of transboundary spread.
From Strategy to Implementation
The launch featured a panel discussion focused on translating the strategy into effective and sustainable action.
Participants highlighted country ownership, sustained regional cooperation and practical follow-up mechanisms as key elements in delivering tangible results.
Madhur Dhingra, Global Lead for Animal Health Intelligence and Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases and Secretary of the FAO-WOAH Global Framework for Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs), underscored the importance of linking regional implementation with global FMD initiatives, technical networks and strategic partnerships.
She also highlighted the need to mobilize resources to support implementation over the coming years and strengthen collective action against the disease.
In her closing remarks, Junxia Song, FAO Deputy Chief Veterinarian and Chief of the One Health and Disease Control Animal Production and Health Division, said successful implementation would require sustained political commitment, strong veterinary services, evidence-based decision-making and continued investment in regional cooperation, capacity development and knowledge sharing.
Song also emphasized the importance of linking the regional strategy with FAO’s GPP-TAD to support coordinated action and investment against FMD.
The strategy is expected to strengthen cooperation among the 14 participating countries and their regional and international partners, while supporting efforts to reduce the risks and impacts of foot-and-mouth disease across the Middle East and North Africa through 2030.
