Dr. Bernard Vallat, Director General of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) paid a courtesy visit to Mali to meet with The President of the Republic of Mali, H.E. M. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and also with H.E. M. Abdoulaye Diop, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and International Cooperation, M. Bocary Treta, Minister for Rural Development and other dignitaries.
Presentation of the Medal of Officer within the National Order of Mali to Dr Bernard Vallat for services rendered to Africa and Mali by The President of Republic of Mali H.E. M. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita
During this official visit, Dr Vallat received from H.E. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita the Medal of Officer within the National Order of Mali for the services rendered to the country. The two personalities took the opportunity to recognize the close cooperation developed between Africa, Mali and OIE. Thus, during the meeting with the President of the Republic, Dr Vallat recalled that OIE accompanies and supports Mali in the development and improvement of its systems of veterinary public health and protection of animal health.
The President of the Republic of Mali appreciated the choice made by OIE to make Bamako the African capital city of animal health. In line with this, Dr Vallat underlined the organization of the 4th Global Conference on Avian Influenza with the support of OIE and other partners in 2006 by Mali. The zoonotic characteristic of this viral disease mobilized many delegations coming from the entire planet and at the end a declaration called “Bamako declaration” was adopted and it serves as reference in many control programmes against this disease, which currently threatens again the continent and particularly the West African Sub-Region.
The OIE recommends stronger farm biosecurity measures to curb the spread of avian influenza worldwide (May, 2015)
The Minister for Rural Development Rural of Mali thanked the Director General of OIE for his support to Veterinary Services of Mali, particularly through various PVS missions (programme designed for the evaluation of the quality of veterinary services enabling them to get closer to the required intergovernmental standards of OIE). He also referred to the Regional Project in support to Pastoralism in the Sahel (PRAPS) supported by OIE, “an innovative programme aiming at responding to the needs of nomadic and transhumant shepherds of the region and giving them hope for the future”, explained the Malian Minister.
The OIE is an intergovernmental organization founded in1924 with 180 members today including 54 African countries. The big number of African representation in the organization means a real weight within the OIE.
Dr Bernard Vallat, Director General of the OIE
