Technical and Steering Committee Meeting and National Focal Point Training for Aquatic Animals

Introduction

Aquaculture plays a vital role in global food security, livelihoods, and sustainable development, providing more than half of the world’s fish consumption. In the Middle East, the sector has grown rapidly, especially in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. However, challenges remain, including disease management, environmental sustainability and limited technical expertise.

To address these issues and strengthen regional collaboration, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) established the Aquaculture Middle East Network (AQMENET) in 2022. The Network aims to support Members in developing sustainable aquaculture by implementing WOAH standards and enhancing disease prevention and control.

Objectives

The workshop will consist of two main components:

• Governance & Strategy Sessions: Meetings of the Steering and Technical Committees to update the AQMENET action plan, priorities, and agenda.
• Capacity Building Workshop: Training for National Aquatic Focal Points to strengthen their skills in implementing the WOAH Strategic Plan (2021–2025), with a focus on aquatic animal health in the Middle East.

Expected Outcomes

• Updated and endorsed AQMENET strategic and work plans.
• Enhanced knowledge and skills of National Aquatic Focal Points.
• Strengthened governance of AQMENET through active committee engagement.
• Improved collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the region.

Participants

The event will bring together:

• National Aquatic Focal Points from AQMENET countries (13 Members): Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
• Steering and Technical Committee members.
• Experts from WOAH Collaborating Centres, reference laboratories and partner organisations.
• WOAH staff and invited stakeholders.

Agenda 

Moments from the AQMENET Meeting and Training