EU to co-host global bird flu talks

EU officials will head to Beijing on Tuesday to help coordinate the global response to bird flu.

The International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Influenza will be co-hosted by the EU along with China and the World Bank.

The talks are designed to garner support for programs to control the spread of H5N1 and prepare for a possible pandemic.

Richer countries are being encouraged to pledge financial support to help their poorer counterparts tackle the virus.

It is expected the World Bank will administer the release of more than €1bn in zero-interest loans and grants.

“We're anticipating a very generous EU response, we have a very strong commitment from the US and we expect the Japanese to come with a strong commitment," a World Bank spokesman explained.

Turkey could to receive the first international assistance with neighbouring Armenia and Georgia likely to be next in line.

European External Relations Commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner said a grant of up to €80m will be made available to combat the spread of the virus in developing countries.

Explaining that prevention is better than cure, she told reporters last week that it is “better to spend now.”

“I am sure that the significant funds that the commission is providing will give crucial support to the most needy countries in Asia, Africa, and neighbourhood countries in Europe, Middle East and North Africa,” she added.

The EU executive has described its international donations as a “form of self defence.”

At least 148 human cases of H5N1 have been confirmed in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Cambodia and Turkey according to the WHO.

In Turkey, at least three people died and 15 others were infected by H5N1 this month, marking the virus's westward progression from China and Southeast Asia.

Doctors say 12 year old girl, who died in eastern Turkey on Sunday, may be the fourth victim of H5N1 if test results prove positive.

Most human cases have been traced to contact with infected birds, but experts fear the bird flu-causing H5N1 virus could mutate into a form that passes easily between people, possibly sparking a pandemic.

• Previous article
• Next article