The Asia-Pacific Regional UN Team for Avian and Pandemic Influenza was initially established in February 2006 to respond to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which was endemic in the region at the time. Since then it has been working to mitigate HPAI which continues to be endemic in a number of countries in Asia-Pacific, and also to prepare for future pandemics. Efforts over the past six years to combat HPAI have placed the UN in a strong position to respond quickly and effectively to the H1N1 pandemic when it occurred in 2009.

The Asia-Pacific Regional UN Team comprises of representatives from regional offices of the UN and affiliated agencies, including FAO, ICAO, ILO, IOM, OCHA, OiE, UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. Its overall goal is to ensure different parts of UN system at regional level work effectively and in a collective manner in support of national and regional efforts that address the threats posed by animal and pandemic influenza. The team members regularly communicate with one another and meet to address issues of high priority.

The Regional Interagency API Team

The Regional Interagency API Team, based in Bangkok, works closely with the regional UN offices facilitating UN system coordination across Asia-Pacific. It reports to the UN System Influenza Coordination (UNSIC), an entity which was set up in September 2005 to help make the UN system work to its best effect in support of national, regional and global efforts to address the threats posed by avian and human influenza. The Asia-Pacific hub of UNSIC also works with regional institutions (ASEAN, APEC, SAARC, etc.), development banks, donors, non-governmental organisations and the private sector. At the country level, the Regional Interagency API Team works closely with UN country offices to support UN animal and pandemic influenza coordination and contingency planning, and national pandemic preparedness efforts of Governments.

The work of the Regional Interagency API Team covers a wide range of pandemic preparedness support areas, seeking synergy of actions and outcomes within and outside the UN system. Facilitation of coordination within the UN system and with other stakeholders at regional and country level in Asia-Pacific is a core objective of the team. The Regional Interagency Team approach has relevance to other complex areas of multi-sectoral work where there is a major global political profile, a wide range of stakeholders and an urgent need to work in a more coordinated way. The team is part of an innovative approach, using a small, cost-effective, catalytic taskforce to build links and strengthen coordination of an informal network.

The advocacy work of the Regional Interagency API Team involves engaging governments and regional bodies to increase awareness on the necessity for pandemic preparedness planning in all sectors beyond animal and human health. Together with UN Country Teams, further support has been provided to enable governments in the region to develop multi-sectoral contingency plans in non-health sectors.

The Regional Interagency API Team also promotes the exchange dissemination of information, key strategies, policy decisions, training materials and tools that have been developed by UN country teams and others. The team seeks to document and share best practices and lessons learned. It strives to ensure all levels remain well-informed on significant developments around animal and pandemic influenza work.

The Regional Interagency API Team organises regular Asia-Pacific UN system animal and pandemic influenza workshops and meetings with participation from UN Country Teams, and regional and headquarter UN offices.

In order to sustain the coordination efforts and pandemic preparedness successes that have been achieved, it is important to support the transformation of animal and pandemic influenza focused strategies, towards ones with a broader emphasis on preparing for major disease outbreaks and pandemics as part of a more mainstreamed preparedness. This includes supporting sustainability of county level work and the eventual integration of animal and pandemic influenza focused activities into existing UN structures.