World Veterinary Congress 30 Cape Town
More than 130 countries and around 1,500 visitors attended the 30th World Veterinary Congress at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). End-point of the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the veterinary profession (Vet2011), the Congress was attended by more than 100 OIE Delegates, OIE Commission and Working Group members, OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres, as well as numerous OIE staff, amongst which the OIE Director-General, Dr. Bernard Vallat.
In her opening address, the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tina Joemat-Petterson, wished all participants welcome in the Mother City and went on to insist on the growing importance of aquaculture in the world supply of animal protein, including in South Africa, but acknowledged that when it comes to socializing in South Africa, nothing beats the “braai” or grilled meat on an open fire.
In the course of the core-three day programme, more than 300 scientific papers were presented, many of which by OIE staff or OIE affiliated experts such as Drs. Bernard Vallat (Director-General), Alex Thiermann (Code Commission), Gideon Bruckner (Scientific Commission), Ted Leighton (OIE Collaborating Centre on Wildlife), Roy Bengis and William Karesh (Wildlife Working Group), Herbert Schneider (Ad-hoc Group on Veterinary Services) Elisabeth Erlacher-Vindel (Scientific and Technical Department) and Neo Mapitse (Sub-Regional Representation for Southern Africa).
The next conference will take place in 2013 in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.
All pictures (c) A. Vallat (oie) 2011, unless mentioned otherwise
All pictures © Annie Vallat (oie) 2011