The WOAH Sub-Regional Representation for Southern Africa was established in 2005 and started operating in January 2006. Normative activities of the WOAH Sub-Regional Representation fall within the 5th Strategic Plan of the OIE and include (but are not limited to) :
- Assist WOAH Member Countries and Territories in the SADC Region to comply with international standards in the field of animal health and animal welfare, including the WTO SPS Agreement.
- Assist WOAH Member Countries and Territories in the SADC Region to improve governance and performance of veterinary services (evaluations, gap analyses, donor round tables) along the PVS pathway
- Provide technical support to WOAH Member Countries and Territories in the SADC Region, as well as the SADC Secretariat (through standing committees such as the Livestock Technical Committee) to reach agreement on the regional application of international standards in the field of animal health and animal welfare.
- Offer policy advice in the field of animal health and animal welfare to WOAH Member Countries and Territories in the SADC Region, as well as to the SADC Secretariat so as to strengthen veterinary services involvement in animal health, veterinary public health and animal welfare policy design and governance.
- Develop and implement capacity-building programs for national veterinary services of OIE Member Countries and Territories in the SADC Region through support to WOAH Permanent Delegates and National Focal Points.
- Provide WOAH Member Countries and Territories in the SADC Region, as well as the SADC Secretariat with policy advice, support and training in the specific areas of veterinary education, veterinary statutory bodies, aquatic biosecurity, animal welfare and reference laboratory services (through WOAH reference laboratories)
- Support the establishment of twinning agreements between laboratories, centres of excellence, veterinary educational establishments (VEE) and veterinary statutory bodies (VSB).
- Support the recognition of new WOAH Reference Centres (reference laboratories and collaborating centres) in the SADC Region and encourage networking between scientists in the Region especially in the area of diseases of bees, aquatic diseases, veterinary laboratories, …)
- Promote transparency on sanitary information through maintaining and updating formal and informal animal health information.
- Provide governments, research institutions, universities and private users with fast, economical access to technical information and knowledge.
- Support WOAH Member Countries and Territories in the SADC Region to develop their official disease status dossiers.
- Promote collaboration in animal health activities through the FAO – WOAH Regional Animal Health Centre for Southern Africa
- Support initiatives promoting the veterinary profession and animal health and welfare such as the World Veterinary Day and World Rabies Day
- Disseminate technical information and raise awareness through extension messages
- Support WOAH Member Countries and Territories in the SADC Region to improve collaborations between the public health and animal health sectors and other competent ministries on “One Health” issues to reduce risks at the animal-human-ecosystems interface.
- Foster institutional relations and collaboration with the Government of Botswana (host), the SADC Secretariat, FAO, AU-IBAR and other key stakeholders such as AHEAD, GALVmed, BVI, OVI (OVR-ARC), ILRI, AU-PANVAC etc.
- Foster institutional relations and collaboration with the diplomatic community and the development partners including the European Union, USA, France, World Bank, African Development Bank, etc…
