The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) receives awards for worldwide achievements in animal health

OIE Director General Dr Bernard Vallat received, on behalf of the OIE, the Michael J. Mansfield Award for its “significant contributions to the advancement of a science based approach to ensure safety of international trade in meat,” the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) said.

The Michael J. Mansfield Award recognises outstanding leadership in expanding international trade; USMEF presented the prize eight times in its 30-year long history. The award was delivered to the OIE in November 2006 at USMEF Strategic Planning and Marketing Conference in Cancun , Mexico .

In October 2006, Dr Bernard Vallat was personally honoured with two awards.

The African Union delivered a Certificate of Appreciation for his active participation and contribution to the Alive Platform (African Livestock). Dr Vallat has since 2004 chaired the Executive Committee of Alive, which establishes a global partnership for livestock development, poverty alleviation and sustainable growth for the benefit of the African continent.

He was also awarded for exemplary services to Africa as president since 2001, of the PACE Committee, the Pan African Program for the Control of Epizootics comprising 32 Member Countries.