The OIE Regional Representative, Dr Budimir Plavsic, and the OIE expert Dr Kazimieras Lukauskas, met in Minsk Mr Anatoliy Nikolaevic Hotko newly appointed Minister of Agriculture, and his deputy, Dr Ivan Ivanovic Smilhin, OIE Delegate of Belarus. They congratulated Mr Hotko for his promotion and passed on the best wishes of Dr Monique Eloit, OIE Director General, for a successful and fruitful work as Minister. They briefly informed him on the OIE, its mission, vision, role and activities, and particularly on the involvement of the 182 OIE Delegates annually gathered in the OIE General Assembly to adopt the OIE international standards. Dr Plavsic congratulated Dr Ivan Smilgin for his election by the World assembly of Delegates as Secretary General of the OIE Regional Commission for Europe, associated with a position as member of the Regional Core Group for Europe. Participants agreed this position is not only very important within the OIE network and particularly for Belarus, but also requests a strong commitment and an active participation in all meetings.
From left to right, in front, Mr Anatoliy Nikolaevic Hotko, Minister of Agriculture and Food of Belarus, Dr Ivan Smilhin, Director Department of Veterinary and Food Supervision and Dr Kirill Ivanovic Gluschenko, First Deputy Director
The participants also agreed that a full and complete implementation of OIE standards, including timely disease notification, will help Belarus to achieve its goals on animal and public health, consumer protection and exports of food, animals and animal products. Only Veterinary Services constantly strengthened, capable to implement all OIE standards and to demonstrate transparency and credibility, will be fully respected, not only in the country, by other national authorities, institutions and citizens, but also internationally by various partners. Thus, they will gradually provide the highest level of trust for all stakeholders. Belarus welcomed the OIE support, to share OIE standards and best practices, and particularly for the further implementation of the PVS Pathway. The next PVS mission is planned for next year, almost five years after the initial one. They also confirmed their agreement to organize a regional seminar next June in Minsk, on the implementation of OIE Standards to facilitate safe international trade.
The Minister agreed on the importance of an active participation of the OIE Delegate in all OIE Regional Commission and Regional Core Group meetings. He confirmed his support for the constant development of veterinary authority as a key service for the agricultural industry, rural development and consumer protection.
The OIE representatives also participated in the 95th anniversary celebration of the Veterinary Academy of Vitebsk. They congratulated Dr Haurichenka Mikalai Ivanavich, rector of the Veterinary Academy of Vitebsk and his team for the long tradition. They underlined how high-quality veterinary education, and continuous professional training is a key to equipping future and current veterinarians with the necessary knowledge to efficiently perform and to effectively support Veterinary Services. Participants agreed on the importance to implement the OIE Recommendations on the Competencies of graduating veterinarians (‘Day 1 graduates’) to assure National Veterinary Services of quality, and to transfer the OIE Guidelines on Veterinary Education into the Core Curriculum of the Academy and Veterinary faculty.
Dr Plavsic and Dr Lukauskas, visited the three they planted in 2015 during the OIE PVS Evaluation mission, as symbol of collaboration with Vitebsk Veterinary Academy.
