Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Drought, disaster and rural support
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Levies and charges on agricultural products
    • Mouse infestation advice
    • Plant health
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Report a concern
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Budget 2025-26

    Budget 2025-26

    The 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 March 2025.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. About us
  3. News and media
  4. Chief Vet Office attend 91st World Organisation for Animal Health General Session

Back to news - AWE

  • Back to news

Chief Vet Office attend 91st World Organisation for Animal Health General Session

  • Newsletter
  • Animals
  • Biosecurity
7 June 2024

As Australia’s delegate, Dr Beth Cookson led the first General Session of the 91st World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) held in Paris between 26-30 May 2024. This year marked a significant milestone, celebrating the Organisation’s 100-year anniversary.

At the Opening Ceremony, Minister the Hon. Murray Watt joined other world Agricultural Ministers in delivering a video address. He congratulated WOAH on their centenary and spoke of Australia’s contributions. Former Australian WOAH Delegate, Dr Mark Schipp, was awarded the Organisation’s Gold Medal in recognition of his extensive contributions to WOAH and veterinary science.

While celebrations recognised WOAH’s past achievements, Members also pondered “Is WOAH ready for the future?”. A forum helped Members conceptualise this by posing potential future scenarios and explored the prospective roles of WOAH and its Members. This inclusive and intergenerational forum featured presentations, futures-thinking exercises and panel discussions with participants including veterinary students and WOAH senior leaders.

A key factor in WOAH’s ability to position itself for the future is gaining support from WOAH Members to implement comprehensive changes to its constitution – the Basic Texts. WOAH, with funding support from Australia, undertook an independent review of their Basic Texts and the findings were discussed at the forum. WOAH Members understanding its importance, voted unanimously to undertake a program of work to revise the Basic Texts.

Another significant occurrence at this year's General Session was the election of a new Director General. Dr Emmanuelle Soubeyran of France was elected to serve in the role for the next five years. She is France’s current Chief Veterinary Officer and will succeed Dr Monique Eloit who is retiring after holding the position since 2015.

Dr Cookson was elected as Secretary General to the Bureau of the Regional Commission for Asia and the Pacific. Dr John Stratton was elected as Member to the Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission and Dr Ingo Ernst was elected Vice-President of the Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission. Dr Ernst has held the role of President of this commission for the past nine years and chose to nominate for Vice-President to make way for the succession of new perspectives.

The General Session provides a forum for Delegates to vote on new and revised international standards for Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Codes. Key standards adopted this year include those for responsible antimicrobial usage, animal welfare during slaughter, and disease chapters on surra and foot-and-mouth disease.

Australia has a proud history of engaging with WOAH, and supporting WOAH’s mission to ‘improve animal health globally, thereby ensuring a better future for all’. The General Session, and its 100th anniversary, was an opportunity to celebrate the crucial work of this intergovernmental organisation, and Australia’s ongoing contributions.

Image of the Australian Delegation at the 91st WOAH General Session
Australian Delegation at the 91st WOAH General Session. Credit: WOAH.

Read more articles from the Three-Chiefs Newsletter

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Copy link

Related

Image of a group of people sitting in a room, watching a presentation on a screen

Human Animal Spillover and Emerging Diseases Scanning (HASEDS) Group

  • Newsletter
  • Animals
06 March 2025
Image of 2 ducks, one in the foreground, one in the background

Pest profile: Duck viral enteritis

  • Newsletter
  • Animals
03 March 2025
Image of a group of people standing around a tree, with one person demonstrating how to hang a flu trap - cut off image

Australia’s focus on regional work in animal and plant health

  • Newsletter
  • Plants
03 February 2025
Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip
Page last updated: 20 June 2024

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram