Agreement with the Safe Supply of Affordable Food Everywhere initiative (SSAFE)

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE WORLD ORGANISATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH (OIE)
AND
THE CENTER FOR ANIMAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY FOR THE SAFE SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE FOOD EVERYWHERE INITIATIVE (SSAFE)

Adopted by SSAFE and the OIE on 10 October 2007

 

The parties,

the World Organisation for Animal Health , hereinafter referred to as “the OIE”, represented by Dr. Bernard Vallat, Director General;

and

the Safe Supply of Affordable Food Everywhere initiative, hereinafter referred to as “SSAFE”, represented by: Mr Michael Robach, President of the Executive Committee, Dr. Will Hueston, Director, Center for Animal Health and Food Safety, and Professor of College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota; representative of the Secretariat

have the following common views:

Each party will invite the other party to participate as an observer in its meetings where matters of mutual interest may arise and make the reports of these meetings available.

The University of Minnesota ‘s Center for Animal Health and Food Safety, in collaboration with its partners from the food supply chain, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and intergovernmental agencies worldwide, developed the SSAFE initiative envisioning the following roles:

  • Advise: provide input from the entire food, and animal feed supply chain (stable-to-table);
  • Provide a safe harbor: a trusting and respectful environment to share ideas and stimulate discussion, particularly between private and public sectors;
  • Facilitate and enable progress in strengthening the safety of the global food supply chain;
  • Leverage resources through Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP) for collective action.

Provide scientific references and names of experts for consideration by the OIE when reviewing existing, or developing new international standards. The parties will cooperate further through both formal and informal consultations on issues of common interest, in particular on the following issues:

ISSUES OF COMMON INTEREST

  • The parties agree to exchange views, to support Good Governance of Veterinary Services and to improve communication in normal and crisis situations.
  • The OIE invites a representative from SSAFE to sit in as observer at the Advisory Committee meetings of the OIE World Animal Health and Welfare Fund.
  • The OIE and SSAFE partners agree to assess their current Avian Influenza portfolio to identify potential areas for collaboration.
  • The parties agree to work in close collaboration with the World Bank in the context of its Global Program for Avian Influenza (GPAI) and other animal health or food safety programs, and with other donors.
  • Continued involvement of SSAFE in relevant conferences aimed at improving collaboration between OIE/World Bank and public-private partnerships.
  • The parties agree to exchange views on research needs and encourage the funding of OIE’s identified research priorities.

 

This Agreement has been accepted  by:

Will Hueston

Professor, University of Minnesota

Representative of the Secretariat, SSAFE

and

Mr. Michael Robach

President of the Executive Committee, SSAFE



Bernard Vallat

Director General
World Organisation of Animal Health