FAO's Director of the Animal Production and Health Division Highlights Sustainable Livestock and One Health Initiatives at EU Chief Veterinary Officers Meeting

Thanawat Tiensen, FAO's Animal Production and Health Division Director, and Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), participated virtually at the EU Chief Veterinary Officers meeting in Brussels. 

At the event, which was held under the Belgian Presidency of the Council, he presented FAO’s vision for sustainable livestock transformation, focusing on animal health, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and the One Health approach. 

Tiensen highlighted FAO's collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) under the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs), addressing priority transboundary animal diseases (TADs).  

These include highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), African swine fever (ASF), peste des petits ruminants (PPR), and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).  

He also reviewed the ongoing cooperation with the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EuFMD) and the implementation of the One Health Joint Plan of Action within the Quadripartite collaboration. 

Emphasizing FAO's pivotal role in strengthening animal health systems and promoting One Health, FAO’s CVO highlighted the Organization’s involvement as an Implementing Entity of the Pandemic Fund and its activities in relation to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). 

The EU Chief Veterinary Officers meeting was an occasion for FAO to reinforce its commitment to supporting sustainable livestock and animal health initiatives globally, ensuring a collaborative approach with key international partners.