1. World Organization for animal health (OIE) general overview
Dr. Xavier Pacholek OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East
World Organization for animal health (OIE) general overview
Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points on Animal Welfare
6-7 April 2016, Amman, Jordan

2. About the OIE
An intergovernmental organisation created in 1924 to prevent the spread of animal diseases throughout the world
1924
1945
2003
Creation of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE)
New Name: World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
Creation of the United Nations

3. OIE was initially created to fight major transboundary animal diseases
History of the OIE
OIE was initially created to fight major transboundary animal diseases
First: Rinderpest – 1920s
The worst plague, eventually eradicated: ‘Global freedom from Rinderpest’ (OIE 79th General Session, May 2011 / FAO 37th Conference, June 2011)
Early 1980s
Early 1990s
2001
2004

4. OIE Vision
Improve animal health, veterinary public health, animal welfare, and consolidate the animal’s role worldwide

5. OIE in 2016 180 Member Countries
Europe 53
Asia, the Far East and Oceania 12 29 32 54
Americas
Middle-East
Africa
Certain countries belong to more than one region

6. Regional and Sub-Regional Representations offices
13 Offices under the direct authority of the Director General Collaborate closely with five Regional Commissions
Gaborone

7. OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East
OIE Regional Representative for the Middle East: Dr Ghazi Yehia
Staff:
Programme officers:
Dr Xavier Pacholek & Dr Ali El Romeh
Secretary: Miss Rita Rizk
Driver: Mr. Khodr Rejeili
Assistant: Mr Tony Atallah
Consultant: Dr Mustafa Mestom
Beirut - LEBANON
Tel/Fax:

8. OIE Governance National delegates
180 OIE National Delegates
Appointed by the national government
Most frequently, the country’s Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO)
FUNCTIONS AND STATUS
Responsible for negotiating international veterinary standards on behalf of his/her country
Member of the World Assembly of Delegates (General Session in May)
Notification to the OIE of the national animal disease situation in his/her country
Official national and international status

9. OIE Governance National Focal Points
Aquatic Animals
Communication
Wildlife
Animal welfare
Animal disease notification
Animal production food safety
Veterinary products
Veterinary Laboratories
Assist the Delegate to
Comment on draft standards proposed by the OIE
Prepare and implement appropriate legislation
Technical contact points with the OIE regional offices and headquarters (Under the authority of the Delegate)
Information exchange and international networking
Le Délégué de chaque Pays Membre doit nommer un point focal pour chaque thème proposé par l’OIE

10. OIE Governance General organisation

11. Highest authority of the OIE
OIE Governance World Assembly of OIE Delegates
Highest authority of the OIE
Composed of all OIE National Delegates
Once a year, in May
1 Member
= 1 vote
Adopts the OIE Standards published in the OIE Codes and Manuals

12. OIE Governance Council
Members of the Council are elected for a 3 year term
The current Council was elected for the period
Represents the World Assembly of Delegates in the interval between General Sessions
Examines technical and administrative items to be presented to the World Assembly of Delegates for approval:
Comments on the OIE technical programme of work
Approves the OIE provisional budget and its implementation

13. OIE Governance Director General
Elected for a 5 years term by secret ballot by the World Assembly of Delegates.
Manages the OIE HQs located in Paris
In May 2015, Dr Monique Eloit was elected Director General
She started her term on 1st January 2016

14. OIE Governance Regional Commissions
to express specific issues Members face in the regions.
Can be fully considered as regional institutions
Board composed of 4 Delegates elected for a 3-year term of office by the World Assembly
Regional Commission Conferences
Every 2 years in one of the countries of the region
Recommendations submitted to the World Assembly for approval and implementation by the Director General
Meet annually during the World Assembly 5
Africa
Europe
Middle
East
Asia,
Far East,
Oceania
Americas

15. OIE Governance Specialist Commissions
Elected by the World Assembly of Delegates for 3 years.
Their role is to use relevant scientific information to:
study epidemiological issues, especially the prevention and control methods of animal diseases
develop, update and propose OIE’s international standards and guidelines for adoption by the World Assembly
address scientific and technical issues raised by Members, with the exception of bilateral trade problems, for which the OIE has an in-house mediation procedure should the relevant Members request it

16. OIE Governance Specialist Commissions
Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission
“Code Commission”
Responsible for updating the Terrestrial Animal Health Code annually; proposes new standards for adoption by the World Assembly of Delegates.
Responsible for ensuring that the Code reflects current scientific information.
Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission “Aquatic Animals Commission”
Compiles information on diseases of fish, molluscs, crustaceans and amphibians and recommends appropriate prevention and control methods for these diseases.
Responsible for updating the Aquatic Animal Health Code and the Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals; and for proposing new standards for adoption by the World Assembly of Delegates.
Assists in identifying the most appropriate strategies and measures for the following:
disease surveillance
disease prevention and control
examining Members’ request regarding their official animal health status, for countries that wish to be included on the OIE official list of countries or zones free from certain diseases
Scientific Commission for Animal Diseases “Scientific Commission”
Biological Standards Commission
“Laboratories Commission”
Establishes or approves methods for:
diagnostic of diseases of mammals, birds and bees
defining quality criteria of biological products such as vaccines, used for disease control purposes
Oversees production and adoption of the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals.
Advises the Director General in supervising the global network of OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres (265 worldwide in 2011).

17. OIE Governance Working Groups and Ad Hoc Groups
World Assembly of Delegates
Director General
Forms
Forms
Permanent
Working Groups
Ad Hoc Groups
Recommendations
Punctual
Regularly updates progress made in the field of ​​expertise:
Prepare recommendations on specific topics:
Examples: 1 2 3
Animal welfare
Food safety
Wildlife
Tuberculosis
Honey bee Diseases
Foot-and-mouth disease
Advise on current issues
Provide recommendations
Specialist Commissions

18. The four pillars of the OIE Improving animal health and welfare worldwide
Standards
of international trade of animals and animal products
Transparency
of the world animal disease situation
Expertise
Collection and dissemination of veterinary scientific information
Solidarity
between countries to strengthen capacities worldwide
under the mandate given by the WTO
including zoonoses
animal disease prevention and control methods
Capacity building tools and programmes

19. Pillar 1: standards Standards
of international trade of animals and animal products
Transparency
of the world animal disease situation
Expertise
Collection and dissemination of veterinary scientific information
Solidarity
between countries to strengthen capacities worldwide

20. Pillar 1: standards OIE key publications
Terrestrial
Aquatic
CODES
Once a year
Terrestrial
Aquatic
MANUALS
OIE standards are recognised by the WTO as reference international sanitary rules (SPS Agreement)
They describe how countries must deal with animal diseases, by allowing an efficient surveillance, a rapid detection, notification and response to outbreaks.
The standards also deal with the quality of veterinary services, mandatory to apply a good surveillance and management of animal health in the country.
The OIE is the world reference organisation for developing international standards on animal welfare
Standards to improve animal health and welfare and veterinary public health

21. Pillar 1: standards Purpose of the OIE Codes and Manuals
Recommendations for the improvement of animal health and welfare (Chapter 7, 11 articles) and veterinary public health worldwide;
Obligations and Recommendations for early detection, reporting and control of pathogenic agents, including zoonotic, and
Prevention of the spread of pathogens via international trade in animals and animal products, while avoiding unjustified sanitary barriers to trade.

22. Pillar 1: standards Critical aspects
Elaboration through a science-based approach;
The Codes are not “textbooks” on diseases;
They are international standards to be used to evaluate and determine measures to protect animal and public health, including in the trade of animals and animal products;
To be used as a basis to further elaborate national legislation and regulation;
Ensure that their application is in accordance with obligations under the SPS Agreement.

23. Pillar 2: transparency Improving animal health and welfare worldwide
Standards
of international trade of animals and animal products
Transparency
of the world animal disease situation
Expertise
Collection and dissemination of veterinary scientific information
Solidarity
between countries to strengthen capacities worldwide
including zoonoses

24. Information from the Annual reports
WAHIS
180 countries on line
Monitoring system
semestrial reports
Information from the Annual reports
Early warning system
Alert messages for specific epidemiological events & for emerging diseases
Outbreaks notified
& information for 118 OIE-listed diseases twice a year (including their presence or absence)
Veterinary Services’ capabilities
Vaccine production
National laboratories’ capabilities
Animal population figures
Human cases for zoonoses
And non official information tracking system

25. WAHIS is a great source of information
Veterinarians
Scientific community
Countries
Trade of animals and animals products
Dissemination on WAHIS interface
Universities
Scientific associations
Stakeholders
Farmers, producers, etc.
Research institutes

26. Use of WAHIS information to explain the evolution of diseases
AT RISK?
Since 1990s
1960s – 1970s
1930s – 1940s
Global expansion of lumpy skin disease and the role of climate change

27. The third pillar of the OIE Improving animal health and welfare worldwide
Standards
of international trade of animals and animal products
Transparency
of the world animal disease situation
Expertise
Collection and dissemination of veterinary scientific information
Solidarity
between countries to strengthen capacities worldwide
animal disease prevention and control methods

28. Pillar 3: expertise Improving animal health and welfare worldwide
A worldwide network
180
Member Countries
301
Reference Centres 71
Partner organisations
One World,
One Health
WORLD FUND
Donor Commitments (121.6 million €)
as of 11 December 2015, excluding bank interest 13
Regional & Subregional Representations 1
Headquarters

29. Pillar 3: EXPERTISE OIE Reference centres
OIE’s network of expertise
Support veterinary scientific communities
worldwide
Reference Laboratories
(252 Labs on 118 diseases in 2015)
Collaboration Centres
(49 centres on 46 topics in 2015)
Disease control worldwide
Continuously update the international standards of the OIE

30. Reference Laboratories Global Expert Centres for animal diseases
Develop, perform and validate diagnostic tests
Provide scientific and technical training to Members
Store and distribute reference reagents
Are under the responsibility of an expert of reference
Organise laboratory proficiency testing of other Members’ laboratories
The list of Reference Laboratories is validated by the World Assembly of Delegates annually
Coordinate scientific and technical studies

31. Reference Laboratories Global Expert Centres for animal diseases in 2015
252
Reference Laboratories in 38 countries
118
Diseases

32. Collaborating Centres Global Centres of excellence on horizontal topics in 201549
Collaborating Centres
on 46 topics
in 26 countries

33. Pillar 3: EXPERTISE Publication
MANUALS
CODES
Terrestrial
Aquatic
Terrestrial
Aquatic
Once a year
BULLETIN
4 times
a year
WORLD ANIMAL HEALTH
SCIENTIFIC & TECHNICAL REVIEW
Technical Items, Information brochures, Specialised publications
Online
Permanently updated
3 times
a year

34. The four pillars of the OIE Improving animal health and welfare worldwide
Standards
of international trade of animals and animal products
Transparency
of the world animal disease situation
Expertise
Collection and dissemination of veterinary scientific information
Solidarity
between countries to strengthen capacities worldwide
Capacity building tools and programmes

35. Pillar 4: SOLIDARITY PVS Pathway, Twinnings
To improve animal health management worldwide
There is a need to improve national policies
OIE Solidarity tools:
PVS Pathway
Twinnings (Laboratory, Vet. Education, Vet. Statutory Body, Legislation)
Capacity Building (Nat. Focal Points training seminars…)

36. Consult our information tools!
RABIES
Videos
Animal disease information Summaries
OIE Fact sheets
Rabies
African swine fever
Avian influenza
Peste des petits ruminants …
Antimicrobial resistance
Animal welfare
Aquatic animals
Food safety …
=> 27 Diseases

37. Editorials of the Director General
Website
Standards
Press
Early disease alerts
Publications
Editorials of the Director General
Events
Anniversary Website
90 years of the OIE
Social Media

38. Thank you for your attention!
Dr Xavier Pacholek
Technical assistant
OIE Regional Representation for the Middle East