Agreement with the Pan American health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO)

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION/WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
AND
THE OFFICE INTERNATIONAL DES EPIZOOTIES

Adopted by PAHO/WHO and the OIE on 26 May 20001


Background

The Pan American Health Organization, Regional Office of the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), is a specialised body, recognised for its competence and wide experience in the provision of services for technical cooperation in the field of veterinary public health, whose aim is to promote the health and well-being of the population of its Member Countries, and which to this end implements, under the mandate of its ruling bodies, activities similar to those of the OIE in the Americas

The Office International des Epizooties (OIE), the world organisation for animal health, has the mandate to inform Governments of the occurrence and course of animal diseases throughout the world, and of ways to control these diseases, to co-ordinate, at the international level, studies devoted to the surveillance and control of animal diseases, and to harmonise regulations for trade in animals and animal products among Member Countries.

Areas of regional cooperation

Both organisations recognise the necessity and usefulness of establishing an agreement of regional cooperation to the benefit of the common member countries of the Americas region and for the international community. The areas of regional cooperation are the following:

1. Technical cooperation in the field of animal health, veterinary public health and zoonoses;

2.  Exchange of scientific information, publications and working programmes;

3. Strengthening of the region’s epidemiological surveillance systems;

4. Dissemination of information on the occurrence of animal diseases;

5. Organisation of meetings and seminars on the analysis of epidemiological information and risk analysis methods;

6. Organisation of meetings and seminars on the harmonisation of the procedures for registration and control of veterinary drugs;

7. Dissemination and promotion of the use of the International Animal Health Code of the OIE and of standards for diagnostic tests and vaccines.

Reciprocity

The Director of PAHO/WHO shall invite the Director General of the OIE to participate in, or be represented at, with no voting rights, PAHO/WHO meetings falling within the scope of the OIE, as well as other events of mutual interest. The Director General of the OIE shall invite the Director General of PAHO/WHO to participate in, or be represented at, with no voting rights, the meetings of the OIE Regional Commission for the Americas, as well as other events of mutual interest organised by the OIE Regional Representation for the Americas.

Validity and duration

The present agreement will enter into force once signed by both parties and shall be of indefinite duration. Either of the parties may propose amendments to the original text. Either party may terminate this agreement by means of an official notification giving three months’ notice and which states the reasons for termination.

For the Office International des Epizooties

For the Pan American Health Organization/
World Health Organization

Jean Blancou
Director General

George A. O. Alleyne
Director

__________________

1 The present Agreement replaces the one signed on 29 March 1993 by PAHO/WHO and on 18 June 1993 by the OIE.