Practical usage and real-time exercise for official recognition of African Horse Sickness disease free status and implementation of Equine Disease Free Zone and High Health High Performance frameworks
Baku, Azerbaijan, 5th of March, 2020: World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), in collaboration with Veterinary Authority of the Republic of Azerbaijan, carried out the Sub-Regional Training Seminar on: “OIE standards and procedure to facilitate international movements of (competition) horses” in Baku, from 3 to 5 of March 2020.
During the opening ceremony, Mr. Rufat Rustamzade, deputy chairman of the Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan stressed the importance of this seminar for the country and the region, and full commitment of Azerbaijan to implement OIE standards related to animal health and welfare, as well as food safety, which are in compliance with national activities related to reform of veterinary and food safety system.
Dr Budimir Plavsic, OIE Regional Representative for Europe, underlined overall objectives of the seminar, including the transfer of knowledge and capacity building of national veterinary authorities to understand and implement OIE standards related to recognition and maintenance of African horse sickness (AHS) official free status, self-declaration of Equine Disease Free Zone (EDFZ), and the High Health High Performance (HHP) framework. He stressed the importance of collaboration with partners in these activities, including public authorities (e.g. Custom Authorities) and private sector and organisations (e.g. National Equestrian Federation and Horseracing Authorities).
Dr Mauro Meske from OIE Status Department, explained the particular objectives of the seminar, which included the OIE Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for official recognition of disease free status as well as the SOPs for maintenance, suspension, and recovery of status. Dr Meske also introduced the tools to facilitate the international movement of competition horses, namely the Equine Disease Free Zone and the High Health High Performance framework.
Dr Galib Abdulaliyev, OIE Delegate of Azerbaijan, Head of Animal Health Department of the Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan Republic and Chief Veterinary Officer, provided presentation on the activities of Veterinary Services in the country related to animal health, expressed commitment for implementation of OIE standards in whole veterinary domain, and informed participants about ongoing projects, including animal identification and traceability and cross-border initiative for Rabies eradication in collaboration with neighbouring countries and the OIE. He reported on the achievement of Azerbaijan to obtain the official recognition of AHS free status and the experience of the country on the establishment of EDFZ, which is considered the starting point for the implementation of zoning for other species and animal diseases.
This Seminar is part of the OIE trainings to improve capacity building of the OIE Members with the aim to strengthen the capacity of countries to better compile a dossier for the official recognition of their disease status and for the endorsement of their national official control programmes, in accordance with the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code (Terrestrial Code). Furthermore, in light of the increasing tendency of the development of equestrian sports in this region, it is proposed to introduce the tools in support of the facilitation of international movements of competition horses, namely the establishment of equine disease-free zones and the high health high performance framework.
This training seminar provided an opportunity for the participants to meet with OIE experts for AHS and other equine diseases, technical equine diseases’ experts of the region, and staff from the OIE Headquarters in charge of the procedure for official status recognition and of the public-private partnership with the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC). Dr Wael Sakhraoui, from OIE Status Department, Dr Susanne Munstermann and Dr Beverly Parker provided detailed explanations on procedures, the composition of dossiers to be submitted to OIE with requested evidence, shared experiences from other countries and regions, and provided expertise on technical questions related to officially recognition of AHS free status, the establishment of an EDFZ and the HHP framework. They also provided important details related not only to technical details, but also advices for appropriate usage of state-of-the-art quarantine stations and sport horses equestrian facilities which were built in some of the countries, in order to facilitate the movement of horses and practical application of EDFZ and HHP concept.
Participants also discussed the implementation of the activities of the Regional Roadmap drafted during the workshop organised by the OIE and the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) in November 2019 in Moscow, in support of temporary international movement of competition horses for Members of Group III of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) who are engaged in international sport horse activities. These roadmaps comprise concrete tasks for national stakeholders, including timelines and indicators to facilitate the international movement of sport horses. The analysis of the activities of the Roadmaps by the participants will add a valuable contribution to the drafted Regional Roadmaps, particularly for the tasks related to the Veterinary Services, and it is useful to monitor the implementation of these activities.
On the closing ceremony, participants of the Seminar confirmed that all expected outcomes are successfully implemented, namely:
The following countries were invited for this OIE seminar: Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, but 4 countries were prevented to participate. The target group for this seminar consisted of official veterinarians and epidemiologists involved in AHS prevention and control, and the preparation of the recognition applications.
Also, representatives of the equine industry in this region represented by the National Equestrian Federation of the FEI Group III, as well as members of the International Horse Sports Confederation (IHSC) were invited, as important stakeholder, because of their increasing engagement with the Veterinary Services in the preparation of horse sports activities, and important role for developing the applications for the official recognition of an AHS free status, and on the establishments of EDFZ.
Only two from nine participating countries recognised as officially free from AHS according to the provisions of Chapter 12.1. of the Terrestrial Code. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan shared their experience gained in obtaining the OIE official free status, as well as it was presented Turkmenistan’s experience in establishing the EDFZ.
The participating countries pointed out the absence of the AHS in their territory. The OIE believes that this event will encourage the countries of the region to gain OIE official free status.
The OIE warmly thank the Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan for convening this sub-regional meeting, and greatly appreciate the presence of the delegation of Veterinary Services of the sub-region.
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