Welcome to the 4th Extraordinary Meeting of COHEFA
The 4th Extraordinary Meeting of the Hemispheric Committee for the Eradication of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (COHEFA) will be held virtually on 16 December 2025.
The objective of this 4th Extraordinary Meeting of COHEFA is to review and approve the proposed new PHEFA Action Plan, which will establish the political and technical framework of the Hemispheric Program for the period 2026–2030. This proposal was developed by the Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (PANAFTOSA/VPH-PAHO), in collaboration with a group of regional specialists and has previously been shared and discussed with the Chief Veterinary Officer of the countries in the Region, as well as with relevant international organizations.
COHEFA comprises representatives from both the public and private sectors across six subregions of the Americas: Amazonian, Andean, Caribbean, Southern Cone, Central American, and North American, as defined in the Hemispheric Program for the Eradication of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (PHEFA).
The Committee was established to ensure political commitment, define strategies and lines of action, and mobilize the necessary resources to achieve the objectives outlined in the Program.
The meeting will be held via the Zoom platform, with simultaneous interpretation available in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. A recording will be made available on PANAFTOSA-PAHO’s YouTube channel.
The 4th Extraordinary Meeting of COHEFA is organized by the Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA/VPH) of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), with the support of the Government of Brazil through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA).
4th Extraordinary COHEFA Organizing Committee
Subregions - Delegates
Public Sector Delegate | Brazil
Marcelo de Andrade Mota;
Director
Department of Animal Health (DSA)
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (MAPA)
Private Sector Delegate | Venezuela
José de Jesús Labrador Amaya
President
Venezuelan Foundation for Animal Health Services (FUNVESSA)
Public Sector Delegate | Peru
Eglinton Rubén Villacaqui Ayllón
Director
Sub-Directorate of Risk Analysis and Epidemiological Surveillance
Animal Health Directorate
National Agricultural Health Service (SENASA)
Public Sector Delegate | Colombia
José Gustavo de Silvestri Pájaro
Technical Director
Colombian Federation of Cattle Ranchers (FEDEGAN)
Public Sector Delegate | Guyana
Dwight Walrond
Project Director
Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA)
Private Sector Delegate | Dominican Republic
José Manuel Mallén Santos
President
National Livestock Association (PNG)
Public Sector Delegate | Uruguay
Marcelo Daniel Rodríguez
Managing director
Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP)
Private Sector Delegate | Brazil
Rafael Ribeiro de Lima Filho
Technical Advisor
Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA)
Public Sector Delegate | Honduras
Rafael Enrique Rodríguez Alvarado
Head of the Department of Animal Health Epidemiology
National Service for Agricultural Health - SENASA
Private Sector Delegate | Panama
Samuel Vernaza
President
National Association of Cattle Ranchers of Panama (ANAGAN)
Private Sector Delegate | United States
Rosemary Sifford
Head of Veterinary Services
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Grabación de la 4a Reunión Extraordinaria del COHEFA