Agreement with the Southern African Development Community (SADC)

AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNITY (SADC)
AND
THE OFFICE INTERNATIONAL DES EPIZOOTIES (OIE)

Adopted by the SADC and the OIE on 23 May 2003

Whereas the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) wish to cooperate in the field of animal health in the SADC;

Therefore the Parties have agreed as follows:

Article 1

The office International des Epizooties (hereinafter referred to as ‘OIE’), and the Southern African Development Community (hereinafter referred to as ‘SADC’), will keep each other informed of its activities of mutual interest in relation to animal health in SADC.

Article 2

Either Party will invite the other to participate as observer in its meetings where matters of mutual interest will arise and will exchange reports in matters of animal health in SADC, including sharing results of joint meetings.

Article 3

The OIE will forward to SADC its catalogue of available publications to enable it to request OIE publications on activities related to the work of SADC in animal health management.

Article 4

SADC will benefit from the concessional rates offered by OIE in the same way as other organizations affiliated to it.

Article 5

OIE and SADC will exchange documents on subjects of mutual interest in relation to the management of animal health in the SADC region.

Article 6

The Parties will endeavour to develop further cooperation through both formal and informal consultations on issues of common interest.

Article 7
Areas of cooperation

The Parties will cooperate in the following areas:

a)  technical cooperation on animal health;

b) strengthening of the Veterinary Services in SADC Member States and the region’s epidemiological surveillance networking;

c)  dissemination of animal diseases information;

d)  promotion of the use of the International Animal Health Code1 and the Standards for Veterinary Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines;

e)  exchange of information and working programmes;

f)  organization of workshops, meetings and seminars on animal diseases intelligence and risk analysis methods;

g)  organization of workshops, meetings and seminars on harmonization procedures for registration and control of veterinary medicines and pesticides; and

h)  elaboration of an annex of this Agreement which will deal with issues of coordinating common regional activities of SADC and the OIE Regional Representation for Africa within special programmes, implemented with the support of extra budgetary resources, such as:

 i. hosting a sub-regional office of the OIE Regional Representation;

 ii. validation of non official information on animal diseases, and support to SADC Member States for official disease notification, to facilitate incorporation in the OIE World Animal Health Information System;

 iii. providing support to SADC Member States in the preparation of the relevant applications for free status of specific diseases on national territories or particular zones, in order to facilitate regional and international market access for animals and animal products; and

 iv. support to existing OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centers of Excellence in SADC and if possible official recognition of other new Reference Laboratories, in order to sustain the scientific veterinary community to negotiate standard setting activities under the World Trade Organization Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures.

Article 8
Duration and Validity

This agreement shall enter into force on the date of signature by both Parties and shall remain valid until termination.

Each Party may propose termination of this Agreement by giving the other Party three (3) months written notice of its intention to terminate this Agreement.

Article 9
Amendments

Each Party may propose amendments to this Agreement by giving written notification of such amendments and the other Party shall agree in writing to such amendments.

Agreements on proposed amendments shall be reached through an exchange of letters.

IN WITNESS WHEREFORE, THE PARTIES HAVE SIGNED THIS AGREEMENT.

 

Prega Ramsamy

Bernard Vallat

Executive Secretary

Southern African development Community

Director General

Office International des épizooties