REPORT OF THE WORKSHOP TO FORMULATE A STRATEGY FOR THE PACE PROGRAMME

This workshop had been included as an activity of the first work programme for the Pan-African Programme for the Control of Epizootics (PACE) Common Services and CoordinationUnits, but it had been postponed by two months. The aim of the workshop wasto draft a PACE strategy document, which, after further refinement, would be presentedto the Advisory Committee.The PACE Programme aims to establish and strengthen sustainable epidemiologicalsurveillance of major epizootic diseases and safeguard animal production in Africa. It is acomplex programme that covers 32 sub-Saharan countries; it has four major thrusts andsix themes, which are represented by the technical units of the Common Services.Participants in the workshop included the PACE technical experts and counterparts of theCommon Services from Central, Eastern and Western Africa, most of the technical staff ofthe PACE Co-ordination Units in Bamako and Nairobi, and representatives of theOAU/IBAR and the European Commission: They reviewed the process of strategydevelopment and examined the proposals of each Common Services Unit, using standardcriteria to screen for sustainability of programme impacts.The financing agreement for the PACE Programme provides an outline logical frameworkthat orients the programme. It required development to ensure effective projectmanagement at national and regional levels.It became evident that, to implement the PACE Programme, close collaboration betweenUnits will be necessary and that this will require effective teamwork in planning,implementation, and monitoring.The workshop partidipantsidentified problems and constraints likely to arise during theprogramme. They agreed on a range of remedial actions, most of which would b,undertaken routinely in the course of implementation. Detailed discussions will, be heldbetween each Unit and the • PCU staff in the preparation of the second year's workprogramme.The aims of this workshop were partially achieved. It provided the foundation for thedevelopment of a coherent strategy for the PACE Programme, and for the development ofwork programmes, through which the PACE Common Services will provide support tothe national PACE programmes.The participants generally regarded the workshop as satisfactory, although there was toolittle time to finalize the detailed planning of the work programmes of the various units.The moderator's report highlights the high workload and the growing concern at the delayin the launch of the PACE Programme, especially at the national level. Hisrecommendations will be taken into account in plany,ing at regional and national levels. Inview of the PACE member countries' limited capabilities to develop logical frameworks, itwas recommended that the PCU provide assistance, to improve the basis for monitoringand evaluating the programme.