Agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO)

AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
AND
THE OFFICE INTERNATIONAL DES ÉPIZOOTIES (OIE)

Adopted by the WHO and by the OIE on 16 December 2004

The World Health Organization (hereinafter referred to as WHO) and the Office International des Épizooties (hereinafter referred to as the OIE) wishing to co-ordinate their efforts for the promotion and improvement of veterinary public health (VPH), and food security and safety, and to collaborate closely for this purpose

Have agreed to the following:

Article 1

1.1. WHO and the OIE agree to cooperate closely in matters of common interest pertaining to their respective fields of competence as defined by their respective constitutional instruments and by the decisions of their Governing Bodies.

Article 2

2.1. WHO shall transmit relevant resolutions of the World Health Assembly and the recommendations of relevant WHO consultations, workshops and other official WHO meetings to OIE for the purpose of circulating them to OIE Members .

2.2. The OIE shall transmit the recommendations and resolutions of its International Committee as well as the recommendations of relevant OIE consultations, workshops and other official OIE meetings to WHO for the purpose of circulating them to WHO Member States.

2.3. These resolutions and recommendations sent for the consideration of the respective bodies of the two Organizations (hereinafter referred to as the Parties) shall form the basis for coordinated international action between the two Parties .

Article 3

3.1. Representatives of WHO shall be invited to attend the meetings of the International Committee and Regional Conferences of OIE and to participate without vote in the deliberations of these bodies with respect to items on their agenda in which WHO has an interest.

3.2. Representatives of OIE shall be invited to attend the meetings of the Executive Board and of the World Health Assembly and Regional Committees of WHO and to participate without vote in the deliberations of these bodies with respect to items on their agenda in which OIE has an interest.

3.3. Appropriate arrangements shall be made by agreement between the Director-General of WHO and the Director-General of OIE for participation of WHO and OIE in other meetings of a non-private character convened under their respective auspices which consider matters in which the other party has an interest; this especially involves those meetings leading to the definition of norms and standards.

3.4. The two Parties agree to avoid holding meetings and conferences dealing with matters of mutual interest without prior consultation with the other party.

Article 4

WHO and OIE shall collaborate in areas of common interest particularly by the following means:

4.1. Reciprocal exchange of reports, publications and other information, particularly the timely exchange of information on zoonotic and foodborne disease outbreaks. Special arrangements will be concluded between the two Parties to coordinate the response to outbreaks of zoonotic or/and foodborne diseases of recognized or potential international public health importance.

4.2. Organizing on both a regional and a world-wide basis meetings and conferences on zoonoses, food-borne diseases and related issues such as animal feeding practices and anti-microbial resistance related to the prudent use of anti-microbials in animal husbandry and their containment/control policies and programmes.

4.3. Joint elaboration, advocacy and technical support to national, regional or global programmes for the control or elimination of major zoonotic and food-borne diseases or emerging/re-emerging issues of common interest.

4.4. Promoting and strengthening, especially in developing countries, VPH education, operationalization of VPH and effective co-operation between the public health and animal health/veterinary sectors.

4.5. International promotion and coordination of research activities on zoonoses, VPH and food safety.

4.6. Promoting and strengthening collaboration between the network of OIE Reference Centres and Laboratories and that of WHO Collaborating Centres and Reference Laboratories to consolidate their support to WHO Member States and OIE Members on issues of common interest.

Article 5

5.1. WHO and OIE will, in the course of the preparation of their respective programmes of work, exchange their draft programmes for comment.

5.2. Each party will take into account the recommendations of the other in preparing its final programme for submission to its governing body.

5.3. WHO and OIE will conduct one annual coordinating meeting of high level officials from headquarters and/or regional representation.

5.4. The two Parties should devise administrative arrangements necessary to implement these policies, such as the sharing of experts, common organization of joint scientific and technical meetings, joint training of health and veterinary personnel.

Article 6

6.1. The present Agreement shall enter into force on the date on which it is signed by the Director-General of WHO and the Director-General of the OIE, subject to the approval of the International Committee of the OIE and the World Health Assembly.

6.2. This Agreement may be modified by mutual consent expressed in writing. It may also be terminated by either party by giving 6 month’s notice in writing to the other party.

Article 7

7.1. This Agreement supersedes the Agreement between the WHO and OIE adopted by WHO on 4 August 1960 and by the OIE on 8 August 1960 .

 

 

Jong-wook Lee

Director General of the World Health Organization

Bernard Vallat

Director General of the Office International des Épizooties