Dialogos

Cooperation via Technical Committee on Health for Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Published February 21, 2026, 17:01
Cooperation via Technical Committee on Health for Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Cyprus and Turkey are cooperating through the bicommunal Technical Committee on Health to address the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. The Greek Cypriot co-chair of the Committee, Leonidas Phylactou, stated that the members are in constant contact and exchanging information regarding the spread of the disease in the occupied territories. The Turkish Cypriot side has assured that they are taking safety measures and monitoring the areas that have been quarantined. The disease has not spread from the initial outbreak in Lapatho. Furthermore, vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease sent from the EU for the Turkish Cypriots have been delivered and vaccinations are ongoing. In the occupied territories, the policy being followed is vaccination to avoid economic consequences from animal culling. Additionally, the heads of the Technical Committees held a meeting in London to exchange experiences and lessons learned regarding their cooperation.