OIE policies on Good Veterinary Governance were the focus of interventions by Dr Bernard Vallat, Director General of OIE during OIE PVS Pathway Regional Seminar held in Kigali (Rwanda) on the 14th February 2011. Approximately 80 participants from 39 African countries have participated at this seminar, organised just before 19th Conference of the OIE Regional Commission for Africa (February 15 – 18, 2011). A welcoming address by Dr Vallat, OIE Director General and by Dr Berhe Gebreegziabher, President of the OIE Regional Commission for Africa, preceded the formal opening by Dr Theogen Rutagwenda, OIE Delegate for Rwanda.
Dr Bernard Vallat, OIE Director General. Picture (c) V. Brioudes (oie) 2011
Implementation of the OIE PVS Pathway kicked-off in 2006 and aims to strengthen veterinary services of countries that are asking to be assisted by the OIE (the OIE PVS Pathway aims to increase the compliance of Veterinary Services with international standards of quality : initial evaluation, gap analysis, support to veterinary legislation…).
This seminar, organised within the framework of the joint OIE / European Commission programme “Better Training for Safer Food – Africa” (BTSF Africa) and funded by European Commission, enabled OIE staff to present the role of the Organisation in strengthening Veterinary Services, the outcomes of the PVS Pathway at national level, outcomes at regional level and the OIE PVS Pathway in Africa – the way forward. The encouraging experience gained in organizing a donor round-table for the funding of a support plan for the veterinary services in Mauritania has been particularly well received and confirms the quality and usefulness of the approach developed by the OIE.
At the end of the seminar, recommendations have been endorsed by the participants and in particular for the OIE PVS Pathway to be considered, by national, regional and global animal health policy makers, as a strong input to the compliance of Veterinary Services with international standards of quality and as an opportunity to assess, plan, resource and strengthen Veterinary Services in Africa.
Picture (c) V. Brioudes (oie) 2011
