Welcome to COSALFA 52
The 52nd Ordinary Meeting of the South American Commission for the Fight against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (COSALFA) will take place on April 22nd–23rd, 2026, in Pegasus Hotel Guyana, at Seawall Road in Georgetown, Guyana.
The celebration of COSALFA 52 in Guyana comes at a pivotal moment for the Americas. South America has made substantial progress toward the eradication of foot‑and‑mouth disease, increasingly aligning its FMD status with that of Central America, North America, and the Caribbean—subregions are free of foot‑and‑mouth disease without vaccination. This progress underscores the need for greater regional harmonization, with a strong emphasis on prevention and preparedness for foot-and-mouth emergencies.
COSALFA 52 will mark the launch of the fourth Action Plan 2026–2030 of the Hemispheric Program for the Eradication of Foot‑and‑Mouth Disease (PHEFA). During the meeting, the results of the 2021–2025 Action Plan will be reviewed, and strategic guidelines for the period after 2026 will be defined, taking into account new challenges in the regional context.
The meeting will provide an opportunity to analyze the region’s health status in relation to PHEFA’s goals, prioritizing issues related to regional technical cooperation, the eradication of foot‑and‑mouth disease in the northern Andean region, and the strengthening of emergency preparedness and response.
COSALFA 52 will also offer a space for exchanging experiences between South America and the Caribbean, fostering an integrated approach to transboundary risks and reinforcing coordination between the public and private sectors.
As an important prelude, a Pre‑COSALFA 52 International Seminar will be held virtually on April 14th, 2026, dedicated to foot-mouth disease emergency vaccination as a strategic regional tool for preparedness and response to emergencies.
The seminar will be streamed via the Zoom platform with simultaneous interpretation in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. The recording will later be made available on PANAFTOSA´s YouTube channel in the original language.
The South American Commission for the Fight Against Foot‑and‑Mouth Disease (COSALFA) consists of 26 representatives from 13 countries in South America and Panama, including a delegate from the public sector—the Director of the Official Veterinary Service—and a delegate from the private sector, representing the principal national livestock association of each country.
The 13 member countries of COSALFA are: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela, and Uruguay.
COSALFA 52 is organized by the Pan American Foot‑and‑Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health Center (PANAFTOSA/VPH) of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) with the support of The Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), a semi-autonomous agency under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and the main livestock organizations in the country.
An unmissable event for animal health and regional cooperation!
Participant's Guide
