Guatemala: CIRSA strengthens regional health cooperation

Ministers, secretaries of agriculture and livestock, and heads of decentralized agricultural health agencies from Mexico, Central America, and the Dominican Republic participated in the 97th extraordinary meeting of the International Regional Committee for Agricultural Health (CIRSA), held at the end of August in Guatemala City. The meeting was chaired by María Fernanda Rivera, Guatemala's Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food and president of CIRSA, and focused on strengthening the institutional capacity of the International Regional Organization for Agricultural Health (OIRSA) and defining joint regional strategies for protecting the region's livestock heritage.

During the dialogue, the authorities agreed that safeguarding the phytosanitary and zoosanitary status of the region requires a joint vision, especially in the face of high economic and social impact cross-border threats.

In this context, officials reaffirmed their commitment to coordinating efforts for the prevention, containment, and control of health emergencies affecting the regional agricultural sector, including African swine fever (ASF), banana wilt caused by Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4), and highly pathogenic avian influenza. The countries agreed on the need for standardized protocols and to strengthen the regional first line of defense at ports, airports, and land borders.