CONCEPT NOTE

Joint 33rd General Conference of the International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasis Research and Control (ISCTRC), and 14th PATTEC Coordinators meeting, N’Djamena, Chad, 14th –18th September 2015

Theme
Bringing all Stakeholders together after 15 years of the implementation PATTEC Initiative

1.0 BACKGROUND

The International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasis Research and Control (ISCTRC) is a statutory Council of the African Union Commission with the Secretariat at African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal resources (AU-IBAR) in Nairobi, Kenya. It was established in the early 60s as a vehicle to promote international cooperation in the fight against trypanosomiasis which is one of Africa’s greatest constraints to socio-economic development, severely affecting human and livestock health, limiting land use, causing poverty and perpetuating underdevelopment on the continent.
The Membership of the Council includes Africa Union Member States, Africa Union - Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Eradication Campaign (AU-PATTEC), International organizations, including Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) among others.
During the 9th Conference of Ministers responsible for Livestock in Africa that was held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, 14th to 19th April, 2013, Ministers recommended that Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) develop national and regional Tsetse and Trypanosomosis(T&T) Strategies and Action Plans that are aligned to the continental PATTEC Strategic and Action Plans, increase their public investment, and participate in a resource mobilization conference on T&T interventions scheduled to be held in 2015 to commemorate PATTEC at fifteen years and review progress made. The 33rd ISCTRC General Conference in 2015 will be held in Chad. Further, it is worth recalling that during the 32nd ISCTRC General Conference that was held in Khartoum, Sudan, 8-12 September 2013, a resolution was made that the Coordinators’ meeting should be part of the ISCTRC conference programme during the year when the ISCTRC conference is held.
This year’s Coordinators and Focal Points’ meeting is unique in that it coincides not only with the 15th Anniversary of the birth of the PATTEC Initiative, but also the 33rd ISCTRC General Conference.
Given that the 14th PATTEC Coordinators and Focal Points’ meeting coincides with the 15th Anniversary of PATTEC and the 33rd ISCTRC General Conference, the objectives of the meeting are designed to address the ministerial recommendation cited above as well as to facilitate information sharing and exchange on matters regarding Tsetse and Trypanosomosis research and control and bringing all stakeholders together after 15 years of the Implementation of the PATTEC Initiative.
The General Conference is a five-day event that is normally attended by 300 participants from the 36 affected African countries and international organizations with over 100 scientific papers being presented. The meeting disseminates scientific information on tsetse, human and animal trypanosomiasis problem, reviews control strategies and recommends appropriate approaches in research and control.
The previous (32nd) ISCTRC General Conference was held in Khartoum, Sudan in 2013 and the 33rd ISCTRC Conference will be held in N’Djamena, Chad on 14th to 18th September 2015.
2.0 OBJECTIVE OF THE MEETING
To promote information sharing on tsetse, human and animal trypanosomiasis problem, review the PATTEC Initiative’s implementation, control strategies and recommend appropriate approaches in research and control.
3.0 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
• To hold the International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasis Research and Control, Executive Committee meeting on 12th September 2015;
• To hold the International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasis Research and Control General Conference; the 14th PATTEC National Coordinators/Focal Points’ Meeting and commemorate PATTEC at fifteen years with the aim to:
o To receive from PATTEC, country reports and international organizations, institutions and donors;
o To receive scientific presentations on Tsetse and Trypanosomosis research and control
o discuss lessons learned during the 15 years;
o propose a practical roadmap for the management of the PATTEC initiative for the next decade (including review of the level of public investment in T&T programmes, identifying sustainable funding mechanisms for the management of T&T programmes and review of the challenges faced in the implementation of the PATTEC Initiative over the past 15 years,
o conduct relevant side meetings and;
o propose recommendations for Tsetse and Trypanosomosis research and control activities for the following two years

4.0 PROGRAMMES FOR THE MEETING
• Registration
• Opening Ceremony
• Presentations and discussions on PATTEC and countries’ reports during the 14th PATTEC Coordinators and Focal Points’ Meeting and the following subthemes; Animal African Trypanosomiasis; Glossina Biology; Socio-economic; Land use and environment
• Commemoration of PATTEC at fifteen years to be celebrate on Friday afternoon (18.5.2015);
Programme to be made available at a later date (Key note speeches on the following topics
o Key achievements of the AU-PATTEC and lessons learned over the 15th years
o Advances and achievements in HAT, AAT and Vector control following the decision on the PATTEC Initiative
o Succinct testimonies from 1-2 affected countries
• Adoption of recommendations by the Council to guide research and control of Tsetse and Trypanosomosis for the next two years
• Closing ceremony

5.0 OUTCOMES AND OUTPUTS

• Tsetse and Trypanosomosis information shared and disseminated
• PATTEC initiative reviewed and road map for the next decade agreed;
• Achievements of the PATTEC over the past 15 years discussed and documented
• Lessons learned over the past 15 years documented
• Networking amongst the Tsetse and Trypanosomosis research and control workers enhanced
• Recommendations for Tsetse and Trypanosomosis research and control activities for the next two years adopted
• Conference proceedings
• Capacity for Tsetse and Trypanosomosis research and control enhanced
• The Visibility and the role of the Government of Chad in the fight against tsetse and trypanosomisis in Africa enhanced
• Visibility of African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources and the International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasis Research and Control enhanced
• The Visibility and role of the PATTEC Coordination Office and its mandates in the implementation of the PATTEC Initiative enhanced

6.0 PARTICIPANTS EXPECTED TO ATTEND THE MEETING
300 participants are expected to attend the meeting comprising of:
1. Thirty eight (38) Member States where Tsetse and Trypanosomosis remains a challenge
2. Ministries of Animal Health, Health, etc. officials/staff in charge of animal and human health in Chad;
3. African Union Commission Staff
• Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture
• Director of the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture
• Director African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (IBAR)
• Coordinator African Union Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC)
• Staff from AU-IBAR, AU-PATTEC, AU-PANVAC ;
4. Scientists/Researchers
5. Institutions of Higher learning
6. Private sectors
7. PATTEC National Coordinators/Focal points and steering committee’s members;
8. 4. ISCTRC Executive committee Members