Infectious diseases in the Pacific: EU-Pacific regional cooperation

During these past decades, the Pacific region has been particularly concerned by a rapid socioeconomic development, modernization, urbanization and globalization. Most of all, every day sees visitors come in and out of the Pacific region. These exchanges (tourism, travel, …) lead to an increased exposure of the populations of the Pacific region to infectious diseases. Recently, most of the PICTs (Pacific Island Countries and Territories) were concerned with several epidemics such as dengue fever, zika and chikungunya.

From the 12^th to the 14^th of November 2014 selected researchers, public health representatives and policy makers from both the Pacific and Europe will meet in Papeete and discuss the latest knowledge, share their experience and identify common priorities on infectious diseases. They will also identify funding options and institutions for potential partnerships. The think tank will be divided into three working sessions on the state of the art in the fields of infectious diseases; pathways of management and control; EU-Pacific region cooperation.

This event is organized in the framework of PACE-Net Plus – Pacific-Europe Network for Science, Technology and Innovation – which aims to reinforce EU-Pacific cooperation in ST&I. The recommendations made in this think tank will be presented at the PACE-Net Plus bi-regional policy dialogue platform that will be held in Auckland in December 2014.

A information session on Horizon 2020 (the European Commission’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation) will also be organised, on Friday the 14^th of November, at the University of French Polynesia (UPF) and will gather all research stakeholders from French Polynesia. A National Contact Point from the INCONTACT network will present an overview of Horizon 2020 as well as funding opportunities for Polynesian researchers.