The Director General of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Dr Emmanuelle Soubeyran, has appointed Dr D’Alessio as Regional Representative for the Americas, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dr D’Alessio, who currently serves as Deputy Head of the Standards Department, assumes the position effective 1 January 2025, taking over after the retirement of Dr Luis Barcos, who held this position for years of outstanding service.
With more than 20 years of experience in national and international animal health policy, intergovernmental collaboration and strengthening of Veterinary Services, Francisco D’Alessio brings extensive experience gained at national, regional and global levels in government, academia and the private sector.
Veterinarian from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dr D’Alessio began his career in the faculty’s infectious diseases department, combining research, education and diagnostic activities with private practice. At the same institution, he continued his training as a specialist in higher education.
In 2009 he joined WOAH for the first time at the headquarters in Paris, France, as part of the team driving the global programme for the strengthening of Veterinary Services, known as the PVS Pathway. This is a global programme to sustainably improve a country’s Veterinary Services in accordance with WOAH standards, using standardised tools. Dr D’Alessio participated in the development of the tools and guidelines for this process, the selection and training of experts, and as a certified expert, he participated in numerous international missions and elaborated strategic recommendations to improve the quality of Veterinary Services in various regions.
After this international experience, he returned to Argentina in 2013 to join the National Agricultural Health and Quality Service (SENASA) where he was initially responsible for multilateral affairs, coordinating SENASA’s participation in international organisations such as WOAH, the World Trade Organization (WTO), CODEX Alimentarius, MERCOSUR and the Permanent Veterinary Committee of the Southern Cone (CVP), among others.
Later, he served as Director of epidemiology and risk analysis in SENASA, where he was responsible for core activities of the National Veterinary Service, such as epidemiological surveillance, emergency preparedness and response and risk analysis, working directly with disease control and prevention programmes, supervising the national foot and mouth disease programme and contributing to discussions with international trading partners. These responsibilities gave him extensive experience in public-private collaboration, coordination with other government authorities, professional associations and non-governmental organisations, as well as participation in bilateral audits and discussions, and implementation of regional coordination mechanisms.
In 2019, he returned to WOAH’s headquarters in Paris as Deputy Head of the Standards Department. In this role, he led the team responsible for managing the process of developing WOAH Standards, overseeing the international expert groups responsible for developing terrestrial animal standards and coordinating the participation of Members and other organisations in this process. It also provided support to Members on the content and implementation of standards, as well as on their use in the context of international trade of animals and animal products, particularly in the framework of the WTO SPS Agreement.
The Americas Region, from Canada to Argentina, is known for its natural wealth, ecosystems and the diversity of production systems across its vast territory. At the same time, the region stands out as one of the world’s leading food producers and a global reservoir of biodiversity, which poses unique challenges in terms of animal health, animal welfare and public health.
With 5 founding Members, 54 Reference Laboratories, 23 Collaborating Centres, the Americas Region has consistently demonstrated strong commitment and active participation in the Organisation. The vast experience of its Members, numerous experts, and important regional organisations positions it as a source of knowledge and an example of regional coordination and collaboration.
As highlighted in the conclusions of the Observatory and the information collected through the PVS Pathway, the continent stands out for the development of its Veterinary Services and numerous achievements in terms of the implementation of WOAH Standards, although there are still important differences between countries and different sectors. This, together with recent sanitary crises such as avian influenza and African swine fever, highlights the need to continue to work together to support the development of the region.
With his vast experience and commitment, Dr D’Alessio assumes his new role to consolidate WOAH’s achievements in the Americas and face future challenges with a clear vision:
‘Assuming the leadership of WOAH’s Regional Representation for the Americas is an honour and a responsibility that I undertake with deep commitment. My priority will be to promote the role of the region in WOAH, and to work together with countries, other international and regional Organisations, and different sectors to strengthen Veterinary Services, promote animal health, animal welfare and veterinary public health. Working together, in an inclusive manner, and under a ‘One Health’ approach, I hope that we will continue to build resilient and sustainable systems that benefit society as a whole’, Dr Francisco D’Alessio, WOAH’s Regional Representative for the Americas.
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