The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on May 2021 to strengthen their cooperation and further support the control, prevention and eradication of animal diseases in South-East Asia
The collaboration between the OIE and ASEAN has been a long lasting one: both organisations started to work together in 2008 after the signature of a first MOU. This partnership has been reinforced in 2011 through a second MOU to facilitate the interconnectivity between the ASEAN Regional Animal Health Information System (ARAHIS) and the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS).
The two organisations have implemented several actions to control priority animal diseases in the region, notably for foot and mouth disease and rabies. They have jointly supported countries through the development of roadmaps and strategies, as well as the delivery of animal vaccines and the implementation of campaigns. They have also coordinated high-level meetings to reinforce regional animal health governance by advocating for a political support and the mobilisation of resources.
The new MOU will strengthen this long-standing collaboration in order to better respond to the current regional health challenges.
The OIE and ASEAN will further expand the development of regional animal disease control programmes to include African swine fever, classical swine fever and peste des petits ruminants (PPR). Acknowledging the importance of timely responding to animal diseases, the OIE will also support the development of a new ARAHIS module, which will be closely linked to the new OIE-WAHIS.
Through their collaborative efforts in capacity-building activities, the OIE and ASEAN will strengthen the competencies of Veterinary Services to address today's animal health challenges.
