UAE participates in regional meeting on facilitation of international movement of horses

The Emirates Arabian Horse Society (EAHS) participated in the 3rd Regional Conference on the Facilitation of International Competition Horse Movement, which was held virtually on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Such meetings, organised by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), help initiate dialogue between public and private entities. They are key to identifying the main constraints as well as to developing and implementing joint strategies on cross-border movements of horses.

With the mandate to improve animal health and welfare worldwide, the OIE is recognised as the reference standard-setting international organisation by the World Trade Organisation. The current use of OIE standards allows the safe movement of horses while avoiding unjustified sanitary barriers.

The discussions included best approaches to safely moving horses internationally, in particular to competitions in compliance with international standards. An overview of the issues related to the growing equine horse industry was given during the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the ways in which world equine animal populations can be protected from diseases, like African Horse Sickness (AHS), thanks to the appropriate implementation of existing international animal health standards.

The meeting saw the participation of more than 70 delegates from 70 MENA countries, representatives of veterinary authorities, equestrian and racing federations, and a select of experts and stakeholders concerned with Arabian horse competitions and activities.