The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is set to provide US$400,000 in aid to North Korea in the fight against foot-and-mouth disease,
Voice of America reports.
Citing the FAO’s Chief
Veterinary Officer Juan Lubroth, the report said a proposal currently under
review would see increased inspections and preventative measures initiated throughout the country.
Lubroth went on to urge neighboring countries to contribute
to the aid effort, warning of the rapid spread of the disease,
particularly in cattle. The FAO will
attempt to solicit further funds through diplomatic channels, it was announced.
North Korea requested FAO assistance in late
February after a number of pigs in Pyongyang and North Hwanghae Province were
found to have been infected.
A further four cattle with the
highly contagious disease were discovered at a cooperative farm near the DMZ by
an FAO inspection team in March.
An additional team will be dispatched to North Korea to
educate farm workers on effective equipment use, animal management and specimen
collection, VOA said.
The North has yet to respond to an appeal made over a month ago by the South Korean government to hold working talks on
the matter.
