Middle East Regional Veterinary Information System Project

ROC

The ROC (Regional Oversight Committee) is the administrative entity for regional co-operation in the field of animal health and veterinary public health, comprising of the Directors of the Veterinary Services of Egypt, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.

The ROC envisaged implementation of several co-operative animal health projects should improve control of animal diseases, zoonoses and the quality and safety of animal products.

Two three-year cooperative animal-health projects have been funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Middle East Regional Cooperation Program (MERC). The approval was obtained in light of the considerable success of a previous regional animal health program, namely the Trilateral (Egypt/Israel/USA) Animal Health Research Program (TAHRP), 1991-1996.

The two current projects are:

Strengthening Regional Collaboration in Animal Disease and Zoonoses Control in the Middle East; administrative support is provided by the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine.
Regional Collaboration on Neoplastic and Immunodepressive Diseases of Poultry in the Middle East; administrative support is provided by the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

One project has been supported by the European Commission (EC) and is currently operational:

Regional Veterinary Information Systems Project (RVISP)

The planned regional projects that may be considered for support by the EC include:

Regional Rabies Control Pilot Project;
Regional Control of Brucellosis (RCB), caused by B. melitensis;
Regional Control of Viral Diseases of Small Ruminants;
Regional Control of Foot and Mouth Disease;
Regional Control of Major Infectious Bacterial Poultry Diseases;
Improvement of Regional Diagnostic Capabilities;
Regional Veterinary Human Resource Development.

All projects were initially discussed by the four parties at a Regional Veterinary Workshop held in Cairo, 12-14 December 1994, organized by the Commission of the European Union within the context of the Multilateral Working Group on Regional Economic Development (REDWG) of the Middle East Peace Process.

The ROC meets at least twice a year; meetings were held in:

Cairo, 4-8 January 1997
Paris, 28 May 1997
Tel-Aviv, 23 December 1997
Aqaba, 25 March 1998
Paris, 30 May 1998
Ramallah, 28 October 1998
Paris, 22 May 1999
Aswan, 24 November 1999
Paris, 17 May 2000
Paris, 2 June 2001

At its first meeting in Cairo, 4-8 January 1997, the ROC agreed to start its administrative functions with an annually rotating Chairmanship. The ROC founders persons were the late Prof. Dr. Ali A.M. Moussa from Egypt, Prof. Arnon Shimshony from Israel, the late Dr. Mukhles Amarin from Jordan and Dr. Mohammed Hassuneh from the Palestinian Authority.

The first project which is already under implementation is RVISP, financed by the E.U. Each of the four parties comprising the ROC pledged to contribute for its implementation, to the best of their potential, through present manpower, existing facilities and other available resources. The four parties agreed to exchange information regarding the animal health status that is relevant to each party, especially OIE Monthly Reports information on "List A Diseases" and others. ROC members have confirmed their commitment to use electronic communication for the benefit of control of animal diseases in their territories and as a contribution to regional and international efforts in this regard.

The present (June 2001) members of ROC are:

CVO Egypt: Prof. Dr. Hassan Aidaros;
CVO Israel: Dr. Oded Nir;
CVO Jordan: Dr. Fuad Aldomy;
CVO Palestinian Authority: Dr. Mohamed Hassuneh.