The curtain fell yesterday on the International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human Influenza, with a Beijing Declaration to express the will of participating countries and organizations for joint efforts against bird flu.

The declaration has brought home the urgency for further coordinated actions to strengthen disease surveillance systems and develop much-needed capacity in human and veterinary surveillance and diagnostics, as well as the need to increase public awareness and address social and economic impacts, particularly in countries at high risk and in bad need of resources.

A consensus has been reached that in this globalizing world, the potential pandemic if not detected, reported promptly and contained effectively, could be disastrous to the whole world.

The conference, co-sponsored by the Chinese Government, the World Bank and the European Commission, has collected more than US$1.9 billion from donor countries and organizations.

This sum of money will enable the international community to financially assist the nations affected in developing capacity and infrastructure to fight against bird flu influenza.

What is even more important than the money is the commitment by all participating countries and organizations to integrated national efforts, co-operation between the international community and individual countries, and among individual nations.

The fact that participating nations have promised to take integrated national action plans guided by political leadership at the highest level sends the message that all these nations have realized the seriousness of the situation, and are determined to make due efforts on their own part.

These action plans are critical to the joint international efforts, which can hardly be effective unless all countries involved carry out their specific plans in a down-to-earth manner.

In terms of support by the international community to countries affected by bird flu and at high risk, the declaration emphasized that priority in the short term should be given to helping countries contain, control and eliminate the virus in affected poultry and prepare for a possible pandemic.

But in the longer term, emphasis will be on developing capacity and infrastructure in animal and public health sectors.

The building of capacity and infrastructure will enable those countries to do a better job in surveillance, detection and preventive work. In the future, the facilities will be used in fighting against other epidemics.

In the declaration, participating countries promised to cooperate in the sharing of information in an open, rapid and transparent manner.

This will ensure relevant countries and the international community can take timely and effective action to contain the spread of avian influenza.

The sharing of information on the research and development of quality vaccines and antiviral medicines has also been agreed upon by participants.

Participating countries also agreed that results and national action plans will be periodically evaluated, reviewed and updated.

If all these commitments are carried out to the letter by individual countries and relevant international organizations, we are more than confident of the success of the campaign against avian influenza on an international basis.

In his speech to the conference, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao promised that the country would continue to provide assistance within its capacity to neighboring countries and those in need.

Premier Wen's promise, and what the country has done in surveillance, detection, capacity building and preventive work against bird flu, have demonstrated the country's efforts in fulfilling its obligation as a responsible nation.

(China Daily January 19, 2006)