As the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) celebrates a century of remarkable achievements, it welcomes a new director general, Dr. Emmanuelle Soubeyran, who has taken the helm this August.  

Dr. Soubeyran brings a wealth of experience in veterinary public health, including a pivotal role as chief veterinary officer (CVO) and deputy director general for Food at the Ministry of Agriculture, overseeing animal and plant health and food safety initiatives for her native country of France. 

After finishing her studies and living in Japan for five years, she began her career at the French Ministry of Agriculture as a food-safety inspector in the field. Dr. Soubeyran has managed animal health crises and spearheaded large-scale prevention programs, such as the avian influenza vaccination campaign. This experience underscores her esteem for transparent collaboration with farmers and industry stakeholders. 

Having served as a cabinet member and special advisor to the French Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Soubeyran’s political acumen is well-established; she is adept at liaising and influencing policy decisions. Prior to the CVO appointment, she held a five-year tenure as the dean of the National Veterinary School of Lyon (France). As dean, she honed her leadership skills, managing a staff of 500 and a budget of € 40M. Here, she learned how to raise funds from public-private sources, while initiating innovative programs, such as a One Health institute. 

As Dr. Soubeyran steps into her role, she is poised to steer WOAH through the evolving challenges of our time, ensuring its continued relevance and impact on the global stage.  

Her vision for the WOAH is clear and ambitious. 

Elevating recognition of animal health

Her first priority is to elevate recognition of animal health issues. She recognizes that animal health is not just a matter of veterinary concern but is central to global One Health challenges, such as food security, economic growth, safe trade, public health, biodiversity and climate change mitigation. Her strategy involves elevating the visibility and engagement around these issues. 

Furthermore, raising awareness is critical to garner financial, technical and public support. With ongoing challenges like rabies, peste des petits ruminants, foot and mouth disease, African swine fever, high pathogenicity avian influenza, antimicrobial resistance and emerging threats due to climate change, Dr. Soubeyran pledges to specifically enhance WOAH’s visibility with the goal to obtain consensus on its core missions. 

Developing compelling economic arguments

Dr. Soubeyran’s leadership will be hands-on, taking initiatives aiming to influence ministers, governments and donors to invest in proactive measures. She is committed to engaging directly with finance ministers worldwide to reshape the conversation around animal health, highlighting the critical role of veterinary services in bolstering economic prosperity. She also plans to increase WOAH’s visibility through the publication of opinion papers and joint press releases with its partners, whenever animal health is at stake. 

Through these efforts, WOAH’s new director general will ensure that animal health remains a top priority in international discourse, reflecting its importance to both global health and economic stability. 

Reinforcing animal health services

A WOAH Observatory report notes that a mere 7% of its members possess the optimal capacities necessary for strong, safe and sustainable animal production. Addressing this, Dr. Soubeyran’s second priority involves reinforcing animal health services.  

Technical and financial support will be the twin pillars of this initiative. Dr. Soubeyran champions the Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway as a crucial tool for identifying needs, alongside fostering Twinning programs for laboratories and veterinary universities. Emphasizing the importance of training for veterinarians and technicians, she also envisions a future where digitalization enhances information sharing and public-private partnerships flourish. 

Financial solidarity 

At the regional and subregional levels, Dr. Soubeyran believes in the power of collaboration with economic organizations to create mutually beneficial outcomes. A novel “help desk expertise” system will be proposed to provide Members with access to a global pool of experts. Furthermore, she is committed to addressing vaccine availability with an eye towards animal health equity and supporting the implementation of the Quadripartite’s One Health guidance. 

Underpinning these initiatives is a pledge to secure substantial financial resources, urging bilateral, regional and multilateral funding institutions to dramatically increase their investment in veterinary services. 

Modernizing the organization

Dr. Soubeyran’s third priority will focus on modernizing the organization to ensure its agility and responsiveness to the fast-evolving landscape of global animal health.  

Inclusivity and diversity are key elements to its modernization. Dr. Soubeyran is set to overhaul the governance of WOAH, fostering greater involvement of its members and regional representation in its activities and decision-making processes.  

Innovation is also at the forefront of her agenda.  

WOAH is poised to become a central hub for dialogue and collaboration, bridging the gap between those in need of innovative solutions and those capable of providing them. 

This includes leveraging big data and advanced technologies for efficient surveillance, rapid identification of disease strains, disease prevention and control. Dr. Soubeyran will push for more digitalization in veterinary services, with a focus on electronic certification to streamline global trade and reduce administrative burdens. 

Dr. Soubeyran has committed to follow-up on the revision of the organization’s Basic Texts, as well as to present a multi-year action plan to the World Assembly, promising a future where WOAH’s policies and initiatives are as dynamic and responsive as the sectors it serves. 

Under Dr. Soubeyran’s leadership, WOAH is poised to continue its evolution, adapting to the challenges of the future while upholding its century-long commitment to animal health and welfare.  

Her tenure marks a new chapter for WOAH, one that promises to carry forward the organization’s esteemed legacy into the next century.