Pages specifically addressing the issue of avian influenza have been created on the ALive website. These pages will serve as the premier source of information for all avian influenza-related events and activities in Africa.

One heading is devoted to specific avian influenza activities carried out by the ALive partnership in collaboration with various actors (please see Theme 1), while a second heading provides a summary of the status of international mobilization and of interventions initiated to prevent and control avian and human influenza in Sub-Saharan Africa, and to share joint resources and tools (click on Resources).

The ALive Secretariat is currently finalizing these website pages.

• Preparation of the International Conference in Bamako (December 2006)

Logistical aspects

ALive will provide the Organizational Committee of the African Union with an expert to coordinate/facilitate the logistical responses of the various financial and technical partners involved. This individual will also work with the United Nations System Coordinator for Avian Influenza. 

Technical aspects

On the basis of the document drawn up for the Vienna Conference and the FAO’s strategy document (to be distributed to the ALive Executive Committee), two more documents will be prepared: a second and more elaborate document covering multisectoral strategy elements  (e.g., animal health, human health and communication aspects) and a regional action plan (for the short, medium and long terms). 

The ALive Secretariat has thus been assigned the task of preparing detailed terms of reference (by end-August 2006), and of designating a Task Force composed of representatives of the FAO, OIE and BIRA, among others, to produce this document.

A first draft of the document (i.e., its content) will be discussed at the 7th meeting of the ALive Executive Committee (Nairobi, October 23-24, 2006) and presented at the 2nd Ordinary General Assembly of ALive (Nairobi, October 25, 2006).

In order to ensure that participants at the Bamako Conference are given a concise and cogent document, the Secretariat will endeavor to produce a short communication document (brochure or other format) based on the aforementioned strategy document. 

The various documents produced will bear the ALive logo in order to advertise the fact that they have the backing of all partners, and to convey a unified message.  

Financial aspects

The AU, EU and United States have already indicated their willingness to work with the AU on preparing the December conference in Bamako.  The World Bank’s involvement will be determined later. 

The expert selected for logistics (see above) will also help mobilize supplemental financing from other donors and will thus serve as a liaison between the AU’s Organizational Committee and the donors represented on the Executive Committee of ALive (the latter being responsible for mobilizing the Collegium of Donors as a whole).