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August 2024
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Dear {name},
In this Newsletter issue the Secretariat of the Alliance is thrilled to inform you about upcoming events, reports or exciting news from other members! Updates on upcoming events or planned activities will follow! |
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Call for Expressions of Interest for hosting the Alliance Secretariat
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In 2021, the initiators of the Alliance - the Germany Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the German Federal Ministry fro the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) - commissioned GIZ to participate in setting up the Alliance Secretariat, including its governance, building its membership and handing it over once the main functions have been established. That time has now come, and here we inform you about the next steps.
The Secretariat function will be handed over from the GIZ to a suitable host organisation through a process starting in early 2025, finalized in mid-2026 (18 months). Any organisation can express an interest in hosting the Alliance Secretariat. Also established consortia with prior proven history of collaboration are welcome. All applications will be handled confidentially by the Secretariat and the Steering Committee. Selection will be based on pre-defined criteria which have been co-developed by the Secretariat and a designated sub-group of the Steering Committee and can be found here. Initial funding of USD 500.000 will be provided from early 2025 until August 31st, 2026, through a grant agreement by GIZ. During this period, the organisation will have to secure future funding for the continuation of the Alliance.
The bidder is expected to present initial ideas and strategy for the development and future directions of the Alliance in a written proposal that doesn not exceed three pages. The current Secretariat will discuss with shortlisted applicants and, onace the selection process is complete, will work with the receiving organisation and the Steering Committee to develop a more substantive way forward.
The application process is open until November 4th, 2024. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with us if your organisation is willing to apply but requires more time to do so.
The handover phase will be supported by a reduced GIZ Secretariat team with the assistance of the Steering Committee throughout the funding period.
Please get in touch with Alice Brandt, advisor to the current GIZ Secretariat: alice.brandt@giz.de |
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Consultancy opportunities for Alliance WCS CONTACT missions in Peru, Guatemala, and Bolivia
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As part of our Alliance Government Consultation Facility (CONTACT), seven consultancies, that will be contracted as part of an ongoing grant agreement between GIZ and WCS, are open for applications. The Alliance Secretariat is brokering these consultancies as subcontacts under the Wildlife Conservation Society contract.
The consultancies are country-specific for Guatemala, Peru and Bolivia and focus on topics such as biosecurity, wildlife law assessment, wildlife market risk analysis, data management and capacity development.
Here you can find the ToR in english
Aquí puede encontrar los Td en espanol
We look forward to receiving great proposals from the unique pool of technical expertise that you bring to the Alliance!
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Important announcement about AI transcription tools
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In recent weeks, the Secretariat has received several reports from members expressing concerns about AI-based meeting assistants or transcription tool such as Otter AI, particulary regarding data protection and security risks.
The Secretariat wishes to inform its members that we do not recommend the use of any AI meeting transcription tools during any meetings hosted by the Alliance (such as working group meetings), as they may pose unexpected data protection and securty risks.
AI transcription tools like Otter AI are bots that automatically join meetings. These tools connect to your Outlook calender to join meetings even when you can't attend them yourself, and collect email addresses of participants from meeting invites. Furthermore, the transcriptions are not always accurate and would need careful revision.
The Secretariat always shares a self-written meeting protocol with all working group members or participants, either after the meeting or with the next invitation. To protect our members privacy, any AI bots that automatically join working group or other meetings will be removed from now on.
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Launching of a new test to tackle mpox, designed by the Alliance & Charité
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Right on time: on August 14, 2024 the WHO declared the mpox outbreaks and its spread as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and in September, a new Pan-Ortopox PCR test, designed and brought to Benin by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the first of its kind in the world to use by the reference laboratory in benin, is now able to comprehensively diagnose various poxviruses for the first time.
There are two particular features of the test. First, the PCR indicates infection with mpox and all other poxviruses - including novel virus variants (clades) that spill-over from animals or mutations - with just a single analysis. In the case of mpox, it immediately detects the dangerous clade 1b, for example. This was previously a laborious process. In structurally weaker regions in particular, new pathogens are often identified too late to prevent them from spreading globally. Second, the test is resistant to changes in temperatures and is optimised for use in the tropics. This means that it can be supplied to regional hospitals without impairing any loss in quality.
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We are thrilled to announce that on December 5th two esteemed experts, Prof. Dr. Martin Wikelski and Diego Montecino, will be sharing valuable insights regarding the role of technology within the Alliance's field of work that you won't want to miss!
More information and updates about this upcoming event and other activities we have planned will follow!
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Udayana University x Int. Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade
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On the 18-19 September 2024, our project partner OneHealth Collaborating Centre of Udayana University presented their project outcomes at the Southeast Asia OneHealth University Network (SEAOHUN) International Conference 2024 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Here are her insights:
"I presented our project on developing native language storybooks to raise awarness of health risks associated with wildlife trade among school-age children. My presentation was part of the 'Collaborative approach to Emerging and re-emerging Infectious diseases' track, emphasizing the importance of using native language to deliver education in mitigating health risks from wildlife trade and fostering a better understanding of zoonotic diseases. This project aligns with effort to engage local communities and youth in One Health practices to reduce the sprwad of emerging diseases." - Semara Yanti, Udayana University.
The conference proceedings can be accessed here, and the full information on SEAOHUN Conference can be accessed at SEAOHUN Website.
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The Alliance at the EWDA and WOHC Conference
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This year, the Alliance was present at several conferences to highlight the important wildlife-health linkages.
From September 09.-14., the EWDA Conference was held in Stralsund, Germany. The Alliance organised and hosted a session titled "Reducing Health Risks in Wildlife Trade: A Multi-Stakeholder One Health Approach to Primary Prevention". This session featured five speakers: three members of the Alliance's Steering Committee, a colleague from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and one of the Alliance's project partners. The speakers provided the audience with an in-depth look at the connections between wildlife trade and health risks. The session showcasted a wide range of perspectives and approaches to adressing health risks in wildlife trade, from Buddhist faith-based methods to pathogen identification for establishing data baselines in various local contexts.
The WOHC in Cape Town, held from September 20.-23., offered a fantastic opportunity to meet other Alliance members. On the evening of September 19, we organised a meet&greet for all Alliance members. The Alliance also participated in two sessions, presenting at 'One Health approaches and wildlife management' and 'Science Policy Interface - Zoonoses and Wildlife: An Implementation of One Health'. Additionally, the Steering Committee meeting took place on September 24. to dicuss the Alliance's future direction and processes.
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COP16 Recordings & Livestreams
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The CBD COP16 is currently underway in Cali, Colombia. This important gathering brings together representatives from nations worldwide to discuss and take decisions on crucial matters related to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
For those unable to attend in person, we're pleased to inform you that significant parts of COP16 will be accessible through various digital plattforms. Live streaming and recorded sessions will be available on the following channels:
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IUCN-WOAH Guidelines published!
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The 'General Guidelines for Surveillance of Diseases, Pathogens, and Toxic Agents in Free-Ranging Wildlife', developed collaboratively by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), are now available for free download. These guidelines are designed to support the development and implementation of national wildlife surveillance programs and give an overview for wildlife authorities and other working with wildlife.
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November 3rd is International One Health Day: Call for submissions
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On the 3rd of November is the International One Health Day and we would like to use this opportunity to raise awarness and strengthen the enviromental pillar of One Health. Therefore, we're calling on our members to contribute by sharing their insights! We will be featuring member statements in a blog post on the Alliance's Website. If you would like to be part of this initative, please send us your statement by october 28th.
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The Alliance is all about giving your work more visibility and connect different stakeholders that can thrive from each other’s expertise. Here is how to get active:
1. News Centre
Showcase your content by submitting blog posts, research, and upcoming projects to the Secretariat. We encourage you to also submit your contributions in any other languages besides English.
2. Community Pitches
Share your projects, news, and events in Community Pitches! Following Alliance events, you will have the opportunity to present your pitches to the community and promote collaboration. Email us to submit your pitches (2-3 minutes max).
3. Formats
We currently have the formats “Expert Talk” and “Voices from the Ground”. Get in touch with us, if you wish to learn more about them or would like to organise an event with the Alliance.
4. Interactive Website Members Area
Discover the interactive members area on our website, where you can connect with others, request information, access event recordings, find relevant reads, and explore collaboration opportunities. Our Onboarding Video will help you to get started! Of course, you can also download our Media Kit and spread the word.
5. Project Map
Fill out the project profile and we will put you on the Project Map! Find the form here.
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Our 150 members' work spans the globe. Check out the ongoing projects and discover the diversity of activities covered by the community: From education campaigns in Africa to rescue and enforcement in Asia or Latin America, the community’s projects cover a wide range of One Health issues and bear the potential to foster new partnerships to address health risks in wildlife trade.
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Warm regards from the Alliance Secretariat Team
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2023 ⓒ International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade.
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