A momentous meeting took place today between African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). The objective of the meeting was to discuss and strategize on ongoing collaborations and enhance engagements between the two organisations that have had a long-standing relationship.
Director General of WOAH, Dr. Monique Eloit highlighted key areas for discussions to further strengthen the collaboration between AU-IBAR and WOAH, aiming for enhanced programme value recognition and achievement of common goals towards the development animal resources in Africa. The discussions centred around aligning interventions of the two organisations, enhanced Animal Health by controlling Transboundary animal diseases, including PPR and Vector -Borne diseases, elimination of Rabies, strengthening One health approaches, and enhancing the position of Animal Welfare.
Other focus areas of priority collaboration include: to enhance Aquatic animal health that will be key in addressing the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) . Vector Borne Diseases will also be a key area of engagement especially as its linked to climate change and One Health approach. The Directors of the two organisations emphasised the need for continued collaboration focusing on prioritizing actions, joint participation in relevant events and forums, joint implementation of projects and monitoring progress.
Communications and Advocacy was discussed as an important component in the collaboration. There is need to make more stakeholders aware of the valuable activities being implemented in the livestock sector and communications and advocacy will play a key role. More resources will be considered under this area in order to highlight key priority activities.
WOAH often carries out missions on Performance on Veterinary Services (PVS). There will be collaboration in this area with AU-IBAR to enable trainings and enhance these missions across Member States.
There will be continued collaboration to address priority issues between the two organisations and implementation of strategies and initiatives as well as regular monitoring and evaluation to strengthen the ties. There was commitment to strengthen collaboration between the two organisations, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts in addressing key challenges and achieving common objectives in the field of Animal Health and Welfare.
The team from WOAH led by the Director General of WOAH, Dr Monique Eloit, the Deputy DG Dr Jean Phillipe Dop, Sub Regional Representative East Africa, Dr Samuel Wakhusama, Global One Health Coordinator, Dr Chadia Wannous, Regional Programmes Officer, Dr Patrick Bastiaensen and Communications officer, Ms Lyne Iyadi.
The team from AU-IBAR was led by the Director Dr. Huyam Salih, Dr. Annie Lewa - Senior Programmes and Projects Officer, Dr. Hiver Boussini, Animal Health Officer, Dr. Joseph Magona, AMR Expert, Ms. Francisca Mhuriro, Senior Human Resources and Administration Officer and Fiona Imbali, Communications.
