The second Regional Steering Committee for the Middle East of the GF-TADs was held in Damascus, Syria on November 7 2006. Dr George Khoury welcomed all participants and explained that the GF-TADS Regional Steering Committee (RSC) for the Middle East (ME) was meeting for the first time after its creation by the FAO and OIE in April 2006 in Beirut, Lebanon.

The RSC expressed concern that although significant resources have been pledged in Beijing, no clear guidelines have been provided by FAO and OIE Headquarters about the funding of activities of the Regional RSC.