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PROJECT INFORMATION DOCUMENT (PID) 
CONCEPT STAGE 
Report No.:  AB3234 
Project Name 
Tunisia Avian Influenza Preparedness 
Region 
MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA 
Sector 
Agricultural extension and research (50%); Animal production 
(30%);General public administration sector (20%) 
Project ID 
P106415 
Borrower(s) 
TUNISIA 
Implementing Agency 
 
Environment Category 
[
]
A
[X] B   [ ] C   [ ] FI   [ ] TBD (to be determined) 
Date PID Prepared 
July 17, 2007 
Estimated Date of 
Appraisal Authorization 
 
Estimated Date of Board 
Approval 
September 20, 2007 
1.  Key development issues and rationale for Bank involvement 
 
The emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, subtype A places Tunisia at 
high risk due to the large number of migratory birds crossing over its territory, with increased 
opportunities to spread the infection among domestic poultry. Tunisia’s poultry industry could be 
severely affected should the highly pathogenic virus spread across the entire region from Egypt, 
where outbreaks have been rampant. Immediate actions to boost Tunisia’s preparedness are 
needed in order to minimize the threat to the economy and animal and human health. While 
numerous activities have been implemented in the effort to maintain Tunisia free of the disease 
thus far, they need to be maintained and fortified, while also allowing the veterinary services to 
fulfill their other compulsory mandates. Ministry of Agriculture Requested assistance in AI 
preparedness and prevention from the World Bank. The World Bank has the funds and capacity 
to provide its clients, including Tunisia, with and technical expertise and advice on preparation 
of avian influenza projects.  
 
2. Proposed objective(s) 
 
The overall development objective of the Grant is to minimize the risk of outbreaks of the Highly 
Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and other zoonoses in domestic poultry, and to strengthen 
Tunisia’s preparedness and infectious disease control capacity. 
 
3. Preliminary description 
 
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Five priority activities were identified for this project: (i) to develop mechanisms for outbreak 
containment and a compensation scheme, (ii) to boost the veterinary and laboratory services 
capacity, (iii) to sustain and refine the epidemiological surveillance, develop a data analysis 
expertise, and to evaluate through international expertise the quality of the surveillance plans and 
of the diagnostic abilities, (iv) to train stakeholders involved in the poultry sector, and to conduct 
an awareness campaign for farmers and general population, and (v) improve coordination 
between national authorities and multilateral agencies.  
 
The subsectors targeted will be the large, medium as well as backyard farms. The 
communication strategy will identify all beneficiaries and stakeholders that would be impacted 
by an outbreak of HPAI, and the awareness campaign will be designed accordingly. 
 
4.  Safeguard policies that might apply 
 
Activities  
OP 4.01 
–
Environmental Assessment 
OP 4.09 – Pest Management 
 
5. Tentative financing 
Source: ($m.) 
Borrower 0 
Avian and Human Influenza Facility 
0.7 
 Total 
0.7 
 
6. Contact point 
Contact: Jean-Philippe Tré 
Title: Agricultural Economist 
Tel: (202) 458-7519 
Fax: (202) 477 1609/1981 
Email: jtre@worldbank.org