On 7 February, the WOAH Regional Representative, Dr Karim Tounkara, paid a courtesy visit to the newly appointed Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Hon. Dr Youba Ba in his office. On behalf of WOAH and the Director General, Dr Tounkara congratulated the Minister on his recent appointment as the Head of the Department in charge of Animal Health and emphasised the importance of the said Department. He intimated that WOAH has been a long-standing partner with Mali and the region, and recently celebrated its centenary anniversary, to commemorate the strides made in improving animal health in the region.
On his part, the Hon. Minister Dr Youba Ba expressed his appreciation for the WOAH’s commitment to support and strengthen animal health systems and particularly thanked the Director General for the pivotal role made by WOAH in Mali in support of rabies control activities through the donation of vaccines, thanks to the WOAH vaccine bank.
Dr Karim Tounkara (L) handing over WOAH souvenirs to Hon Youba Ba, Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mali. The Minister was also recently appointedHead of Department (HoD) in charge of Animal Health in Mali.
Dr Karim Tounkara (L) handing over WOAH souvenirs to Hon Youba Ba, Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mali. The Minister was also recently appointedHead of Department (HoD) in charge of Animal Health in Mali. Picture (c) communication (woah) 2024
Further, the Minister expressed his wish for continued support with Mali in the fight against zoonoses, by working closely with the WOAH regional office in Bamako, Mali. Dr Tounkara promised to facilitate further consultations to ensure that the two partners work closely together. On his part, the Minister emphasised the need for collaboration between organizations like WOAH and government bodies to ensure the health and well-being of both animals and people.
