Focal Points for Communication in Asia and the Pacific Meeting 2025

Background

Communication is an integral part of all activities of the Veterinary Services, including animal health (surveillance, early detection and rapid response, prevention, and control), animal welfare and veterinary public health (food safety, zoonoses), and veterinary medicine. The integration of veterinary and communication expertise is essential for effective information sharing, optimising the engagement of key stakeholders in animal health or One Health interventions.

National Focal Points (FPs) for Communication are nominated by WOAH Members as part of a larger support network of eight National Focal Points for Delegates to perform their rights and obligations and actively participate in WOAH’s standard setting process.

FPs for Communication have been appointed by Members since 2011, and 6 regional meetings have been held in the Asia Pacific so far to train and strengthen the network.

Objectives

The general objective of the meeting was to provide national Focal Points (FPs) in charge of communication with necessary information to support their National WOAH Delegates.

This meeting was organised to support an active regional communication network and facilitate information sharing between WOAH and its Members.  All communication Focal Points from Asia and the Pacific were invited to receive information from WOAH on communication activities and listen and learn from colleagues in the network on communication experiences and good practices.

The meeting also allowed FPs to work with WOAH on identifying any specific needs in the region and ensure they are addressed. The Asia Pacific region is a culturally, linguistically, and socio-economically diverse region, so communication in this context requires attention and is extremely important for those working in the veterinary services at all levels.

This seminar addressed the following objectives:

• Update the National FPs for Communication network on initiatives and activities of Members in the region, focusing on useful lessons and case studies on communication and animal health issues
• Provide updates from WOAH on communication activities (both regional and global)
• Gather information on what an improved WOAH regional website would look like

Details

Date and time: 19 Sep 2025, 4:00 PM (JST)

Location: Virtual

Agenda: PDF

Presentations

• Setting the context, and regional communication updates, WOAH RRAP
• WOAH support at the country level, WOAH SRR-SEA
• Preparing for animal health emergencies, WOAH HQ
• Rabies Outbreak Response in Timor-Leste, TIMOR-LESTE

(to be updated)