Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa: Committee of Sponsoring Agencies, report of the forty-eighth session, Geneva, 11 – 12 April 1991

RESTRICTED ocPlcsA/48 ENGLISH ONLY ONCHOCERCIASIS CONTROL PROCRAI,IME IN WEST AFRICA COMMITTEE OF SPONSORING AGENCIES Report of the forty-eighth session Ceneva, 1l-12 April 1 991 ocPlcsA.48 page 2 CONTENTS OPENING OF THE SESSION ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA .... APPRoVAL 0F THE REPORT OF CSA.47 IIATI"ERS ARISING FRO}I THE REPORT OF CSA.47 PREPA.RATIONS FOR PHASE IV .. SOCIOECONO}IIC DEVELOPIIIENT EAC I.IE}IBERSHIP DONOP.S' i.IEETING ANY OTHER BUSI\ESS DATES AND PLACES OF CSA.I{9 A\NEX I: P.{RTICIPANTS PaFe 3 3 3 3 4 5 7 7 7 8 A B C D E F G H I J 9 OCP/CSA.l{8 page 3 A. OPENING OF THE SESSION 1. The forty-eighth session of the Committee of the Sponsoring Agencies (CSA) was held aE tr'Ho headquarters. Geneva, on 11 and L2 April 1991 under the chairmanship of Mr Benja.min A. Guruan. 2' In opening the session the chairnan informed the Committee that Cyri1 Croom,the cSA member appointed by FAO, was unabre to at.tend and that the Setretary,David Baldry, had been taken ilr. The Committ,ee wished him a speedy recovery. B. ADOPTION OF THE ACENDA 3' The agenda, as presented in the contents list, ol the report, luas adopted. C. APPROVAL OF THE REPORT OF CSA.47 t{. The report ofl cSA.47 was formarry adopt,ed withouE changes. D. }IATTERS ARISING FRO}I THE REPORT OF CSA.47 ) Non-Governmental 0r i s a tions NG0s Pril,ate \Iolunta 0r niz ations PV0sFolJ-owing the pretiminary statemenr made during CSA 7, theComniE.tee was info rmed that the Congress of the United States America hadaliocared US$2.1 mi lIion to US NCOs and pVOs in support ol their ivermectindistribution and/'or devolution-oriented activities in live African and LatinAmerican countries ofl which one (Bur-kina Faso) belonged to the OCp group. Theproposals were reviened by OCp and Ehe l,Jorld Bank at the request of US AID. 5. Collaboration w irh tdHo AFRO in devolution rcem F ras 11 and 12The Programme Direc tor inflormed the Committee that the Regional Director, AFRO,had appointed an in tercountry Devolution Coordinato r t,o be based in the officeof the WHO Represen Regional Office wit a meeting was held in theution Coordinator and OCpstaff concerned rvi th devolurion. A pl_an of Act,ion for 1991 has been submitt.edEo AFRO for comments. The Devolution Coordinat or would soon undertake a seriesof country visits. On the OCp side , steps had been taken to establish aDevol-ut.ion Unit in Ouagadougou, whi ch was now fulIy operational. tative in Ouagadougou. Recentlyh the participat,ion of the Devol mD a ccPlcsA.48 page l{ E. PREPARATIO}.S FOR PHASE IV Draft Plan f ra t.ions 7 ' The Committee considered an updated draft of the plan of Operations lor thefourth Financial Phase (1992-L99/) which incorporared the suggestions made bythe menbers of JPc-11 (conakry. December 1990) and reflected the recommendat,ionspresented by the Externar Review Team. The new draft also contained revisedbudget forecasts reducing Lhe total esrimare of uSS 185 *i1ii;;, as submitted toJPC.11, to USS 1/! million. 8' Members of the CommitEee proposed cerlain modifications to the text, whicht^'ould be reflected in a finar draft before CSA at it.s 49th session in July 1!!1after consideration by EAC curing its twelfEh session (10-14 June).The document would then be presented to the Donors, Meeting (Bonn , z3-zrlSeptember) before its consideration and eventuar approval by Jpc.12 (December1991 ) . 9' The coumittee vdas preased to note the subsEanEial- reduction in the budgetar-vestimaLes for the fourth Financial Phase. rt veas agreed that the transfer olliHo/OcP emptoyed Generar Service Staff in the origi.nal programme area and in theSouthern Extension area to nationar emproSzment as in the t4estern Extension area,seen a's "harnonization" rn the context of de*.rol-ution, should become efflectr,e on1 January 1993' This would arlow for the incrusion of an appropriate provisionin the annex to rhe ocP Fund Agreement forlowed by negotiation wi.th the nationarauthor-ities concerned. cenerar Serr,'ice St.aff Locared in oflfices dearing withactj'vities cot'ering more than one country would remaj.n on tdHO/oCp contracts. 10' The budgeEar-y estimates incruded a provision lor an average of uS s3oo0pe: annum in pa5'rnent of salary to all General Service Staff moving from hHO/OCpcontract Eo national emproS'inent conditions. This arount corresponded t,o theaverage salar-''' scale in the countries concerned anc had been incruded to meetsituations where the rratiorral- authorities encountered serious difficurties in "absorbing" their nationals ruho were current,ry in ocp service. rnsofar as suchpayments would "discriminate" against countrils in the Western Extension areawhere ocP staff had been natio.,.tty emproyed and paid by their government.s si.ncethe start of Programme operations, iL was st.ressed by the members ofl thecommittee that r,rays and means needed to be found to equalize the situation inthe two parts of the Programrne area. rn this connection the comnitEee agreedthat it r';ourd be usefur to attempt quantifying in monetary terms thecontributions in kind and in cash ol the Participating countries, possibry as ag1cbal figure to appear in the finar dr.af t of the plan of operations. F\rnd Aqr.eement for the four-t.h F inancial- Phase 11' The onchocerciasis Fund Agreement covering the fourth Financiar phase rsouldbe prepared b-r't'he [rror]-d Bank Ind l{HO, che foriler being r-esponsibl-e for the FundAgreement as such and tirc- 1][ter being concer-ned with Ll.re i\leruorandum ofAgreenrent to be approved b5' the ParticipaEing countries. The committee t,asinlornled that the h)orrd Dank did r)o! anticipaEe any lundanrentar changes in theFu'd Agreeoent f rorn that co*er-ing t.^e third ocp/csA. qg pa8e 5 Financial Phase except, possibly, for arrowing funds to be held in other currencies than US dollars (see paragraph ]0 under "I. Any Other Business" below). 12. In respect to the l'lemorandum of Agreement, members ol the Committee suggest.ed t.hat, Ehe institutionaL arrangeruents for devolution be spelled out; that the section dealing with the role and functions of CSA be expanded as regards its support to socj-oeconomic development; that the role of National Onchocerciasis Committees be modified fon iE to become increasingly operational at the technical level; and that the involvement of national staff in OCp operaLions be specified as a justification for "harmonization". 13. i[embers of CSA were invited t,o provide any additional comments and suggest'ions in writing to the World Bank (Bruce Benton) as regards the Fund Agreement and Eo WHO/OCP (David Baldry) in respect-to the Memorandum ofUnderstanding. Such contributions should reach the Bank and WHO before Wednesday 1! [Iay in order t.o allow for the finalization of the draft. Agreementbefore csA ll9 (10-11 Jury). rt. was hoped that legar experts of the two agencies r''ould be present when the Agreement, was considered during the Donors'Nleeting on 2J-26 SepEember t99L. 14- In connection with t,he CommiEEee's consideration of the Fund Agreement,, members stressed the potentially increasing role ol the African Development Bank(ADB) in fut,ure OCP operations. ADB was becoming more and nore active with anincrease in its resources and provided not, only roans but also grants. F. SCCICECONOiIIC DEVELOP}IENT Future roie ci the CSA in Socroeconomic Der.,eloonrent L5- The Committee had before it a draft paper pr-epared by the World Bankenricled "Approach Paper for a CSA Program in Support of SocioeconomicDevelopnent in che OCP Area". The paper briefly suiiimari.zed CSA activities inthis field since 1935 when the Committee was requesred by JpC to prepare a planfor the p::oootion ol socioeconomic development in the aneas rr'here onchocerciasisno Ionger impecied such Cevelopment; present.ed options for a CSA work programme; anci iealt brieflJv with potential sources of financing. It. was explained thatthe paper, after modifications in the light of the discussion at, the presentCSA session' rvould constit.ute the basis for the prepar-ati-on of documentationintended for the Donors' Ileeting (23-2\ September 1991). This would include astatetrent on the future role of CSA in this fietd and a list of ongoing andplanned activi.ties (country and intercountry) by agenci,es involved, bhe lat.terto be compiled by tl're hrorLd Bank in collaboration with UNDP headquarters andfield sraff. 16. The Committee t,'elco:ned the paper, which in the opinion of its members.raised pertinent. issues-and clearly stated the options. Furthermore, theunderlining of the environmental aspect of settlement and socioeconomicdevelopment tied in well with t,he findings of the Koeman/Dejoux Mission (seefollouing part of this section), tl'rus demonstrating clearly the intricaterelat,ionship betrieen development and enr.,ironment in hrest Africa. In this connection it rr'as stresscd that developnrent. prograulrnes should aim at preserrringthe environment at the sonre tinte as prouloting anci incr-easing production. OCPICSA. qB page 5 L7 ' As to the future role of CSA in socioeconomic cevelopment within OCp-conLrolLed areas, Lhere e,,as agreement that the Commi.ttee should assume acollective, proactive responsibility and noE just Iet its individual memberagencies act within their individual spheres of interest. At this stage nospecific proposals could be made, although CSA might consider, togethen r,rith theParticipating countries and Donors, such major programmes as river systetrmanagement on an intercountry basis. including the monitoring of the use ofpest.icides. 18' Irlembers of the commit,tee underlined the need for prompt action if suchresources as the "Globar Environment Fund" (uNDp. uNEp and l,Jorld Bank) were tobe tapped for the benefit of deveropmenr,,/environmenr p.;;;";;;;: The firsr sEepcourd be the preparation (possibly wiEh uNDp funding) of a straEegy paperoriented towards the concept of a development package bringing iogether gheseveral issues inherent in sett,lement,, development and environmentar protection.The developBent package itself would not only deal with individual countryissues and activit'ies, but arso consider Ehe intercounEry aspect in terms ofcoordination and collaborative efforts. 19' Throughorrc the discussion members of CSA stressed the primordialFAO in this contexi and expressed the hope that that agenc-v r^ourd takein a verl; near future rinking up with the l{or1d Bank and uiiDp. rn theof the FAO-designated metnber at the session, the hrorld Bank undertookimoress upon hit r-he need fcr. ear13, acr_icn. The eman De oux En l'i ronmen taI R rt role of the Iead absence to 20' 0n the quesiicn of r.'hethe!'or not to set. up a secretari.at for coordinationand prorot'ion in :ne fieici ol socioeconornic developinent/environmentalprotection' the ccnsensus in the committee uras thaL onry after the objectives ci.a colregiate csA strateg-v and action progr-amme had been defined shourdconsideration be gi.r,'en to the possible escabrishment of a permanent secretariat.Also' a finar decision regarding the role of Ocp itself in this fieid and itsresources for suppol:t to socioeconomic deveJ.oprnent/environmental protectionshor'rLd at"ait the preparat.ion of a cSA action programme. rn the roeantlme, iE r,asnoted that the OCP operationaL set-up and knorvredge of local- condiEions ar.icecolog5' was unique in Africa and might eventualry become a uselul support toCSA-sponsored acti.on programmes. 27' The committee also felt that an intensified csA support to socioeconomicder"eropnrent wourd be welcomed by the Donors and by the participating countries.rt was Eherefore suggested that the relevant. sections in the draft plan olOperations sr'roulc be st.re:rgthened to refrect this trcnd. 22' Professor Jan l-l . Koenran. co-author of a repor-t entitred ,,rdent.ification olPrioi:it5' rssues rri'th regat'd to the Anarysis of ihe possiure e.rrrironmental- rmpacr.of the liHo onchocerciasis cont.or Prograrnrne" introduced [he report by stressir.r,;the f indings ol Lire Koenran./De joux I\lission that ocp oper..tions had not resur tc(lin an1'sot'E of enr"ironmental iarnage, arthough an ecologi.car eflect stemming fronlsett'Leutents j'n ocP-corlt.o1led areas couLd not be exc.Luded. He e.xpressed hiscomprete satr'sflaction tvith the Progranrrue's enviror)r)e.Eal- monitoring system andthe role of the Ecologicar G.oup, a u,rique exanrpl-c ot'ertecti"le r'o.ito.ingand contt'oI ' The r-epo.t cotrtained a series ofl technrcal. recomnre.oatio.s as rr,r-r las suggestLor)s lol':'tl tut'L- il(tti'ities to be car-ried ouL trrrcier. the ar.rspices of.0cP' includr^g tlre Iirtl<irl-g.{' jlrtercou.tr'5'river rrla^ai(,;r.r)L rvitl-r ocp ecc>logrrc.:rlrnotritoring; coortlll'r:rLi(rtl of'e.xLernal- itssistance l'rii*i.rrg pottl.tial imperct or) rhr,envri'ons)ent: ani ll.arnlrrg of. rrational ecol-ogists. oCPICSA.l{8 page 7 23. Ia his introduct,ory remarks, Prol. Koeman st,ressed Lhe importance olassociating environmentaL protection with a satisfactory level of productivity and ended by suggesting that OCP might rook beyond the strict int,erpretat,ion olits mandate and reconsider cSA's role in t,he field of environmentar monitoringand protect.ion in lhe context of socioeconomic development, given theProgramure's substanLial contribution to the understanding and knowledge oflthe riverain ecology in West Africa. 24' On the question ofl why there had been littre. or no, flollow-up to therecommendations of the i'iission on the part of Ehe Dutch authorities,Prof' Koeoan suggested that written comments/proposals for action from ocp/csAwould be useful and that a visit to The Hague- by the Bank Coordinator and theProgranme Director might set things in motion. The Netherrands courd help cSAin developing an intercountry river systetr monitoring,/management programtrewhich, in his opinion' would st,art. with an assessmenE of t.he existing riversystems and the potential needs, carried out by an ecorogist and lasEing threeyears' The programme shoul-d be intersectoral and enphasis shourd be given toits institutionar and coordinati.on aspecEs. The Burkina Faso environmentalprot'ection plan courd become a first. step in the dir-ection of intercountrycollaboration. G. EAC }IE}IBERSHIP 25- EiC now had a frrl I compJement of 12 members rvhich t-as a reasonabl€ nr_lrnbspcompatibre with contlttittee efficiency. There were three African members (DrsAboag5'e-':'cta. DiaIlo and Adjou-i,loumoni) and one more Alrj.can (Dr Franklin) wasinvitei as obser-r'er at the June 1!!1 session as was Dr Lechuga with theexpectacion thal the-v would beconre fulL members the forrowin! year. rn rinewith the recommendation of the Externar Revierv team, there hid over the past -\'ears been a shiit in the disciprines represent,ed, recucing the predominance ofentoinolcg]',/"'ector control to the benefit of an increase in pubric health andJ-arge-scaie cirug distribution expertise. As regards oLher disciprines notreprese:lted in the comnrittee, EAC rvas open for fo-opiing experts wheneverrequirei. 26. IE was of CSA. decided to incrude this item on the agenda of the Jury 1!!1 session the UK H. DONORS' iUEETINC 27' Alter consurtation rvith a nunrber of Donors, the dates ol the Donors,Ileeting riere fi.red ac 2! and 26 Septernber- 1991. T5e Commrtree decided thaE 'enLie t'ou1d be l-ondcn (Lancascel'_House) pending lina- ar-r-engements n,ith theauthoriti'es by the tiorrd Bank. rn the meantimJ, hrHC ruourd maintain itsr-eservation of a meeting room at its headquarters.l 28 ' The agenda of the }leeting rvould conrprise: Dr-ai: plan ol Oper.ationsfourth F:'nanciaf Phase: ocP Fund Agreenlen!; SocioecJ:roni : c Der.,elopmerrt ;Financing of the lortr.th Financial phase. for tlre and 1 . \orr :'.racseer) I rr Bor.ur -,] lrrtl 2ll SepLt.nrl.t,r ocPlcsA.ll8 page 8 I. ANY OTHER BUSINESS 29. The non-payment by l{HO of part of ics pledged contribution to OCp during t,he third Financial Phase (US$ 500 OO0 per year) was of concern to CSA. lr wasbherefore with relief that E,he Committee learned that its World Bank and WllO members during the current, session succeeded in obt,aining fron WHO/He thepromise of payment early duning the fourth Financiat PIan of the arrears (USS 500 000) for the 1986-1991 period and of continuing financial conrributions(anounts to be det.ermined) during the fourth Financial phase. WHO would welcome any assistance OCP could provide in making the Programme appear as a priorityactivity to faciliEare the approval of its contribution at sessions of itsgoverning bodies. 30. The HHO administration aJ-so acceptedfunds in currencies other than US dollars <iouble conversion (FF to US S, back to FF) at JPC sessions. (reluctanrly) to hold OCp operationat(essentially French Francs) to avoidlollowing a suggestion made by Donors 31' During t.he discussions at WHO headquarters it was also confirmed thaE. HHO,srole as regards OCP was that of the t.echnical and aciministrative executiveagency while func-raising and t.he administration of the OCp Fund were theexclusive responsibility of the krorld Bank. 32' The Conrmlttee t.'aq infornred t-hat it had been final-ry decided. aflter sometergiversation, thac the next aeriaL contract, starting January 1gg3, would beopen to int'ernationaL bidding and not negotiat.ed as a mere extensj,on of thecurrent contract. The t{HO Legal CounseL. member of CSA, infor.red the Conrmitteein this connection thaE the dispuLe rvith the previous contractor (Viking) wasstlll at the stage oi agreeing on an arbiter. J. DATES AND PL.ICE OF CSA..+9 33' The l+9th session of cSA wourd be herd at t,he l{orrd Bank of flice in London on10 and L1 JuIy L99t. 3q' The Commj-ttee learned r.rith regreE that, its ltrHO-appointed member,claude-Henri vignes, wourd soon reive the Organization on retirement. Arthougha final decision on the effect.ive date had not yet been taken, his attendance atcS'{ sessioos lr'ourd come to an end within the foreseeable future. Irlembers ol theConrmittee expressed their deep appreciation ol his long-J-asting contrlbution tocSA' and belore it to the Steering Commi.ttee. as r,'e1r as to t,he chairmen of Jpcsessions and joinE. neeEings of NOCs rr,here his or-ganizational ski1ls and legalbackgror'rnd had greacrS, faciritated proceedings. The committ,ee wishedClaude-Henri all- the best lor his future. ANNEX 1 PARTICIPANTS Members - I{or1d Bank Mr Bruce Benton Dr Bernhard Liese - UNDP - r{Ho Dr Ebrahim lrt. Samba Dr C.-H. Vignes Secretariat Dr John A. Elder, Sociologist, Onchocerciasj.s Unit, and Human Resources Division. Sahelian DepartmenE, l{ashrngton Mr Benjanin A. Gurman (Chairman) Population tlorld Bank, Itlr Ceorge Koulischer, Chief , n..^-^l^..-^.-v qqEquvliSUu Adnrinistrati-on and ilanagemen!, OCp Dr Ole tior-m Christensen. a.i.) OCP ConsuI t.ant , hrHO, Ceneva (Secrerar.v Professor Dr Jan H. Koeman, Agriculturar University, rdageningen,The \etherlands, attended part, of the session.