May 2026, Paris

I had the opportunity to attend the 93rd General Session of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), held in Paris in May 2026. The technical theme of this edition was particularly powerful: “Investing in Animal Health to Secure Everyone’s Future.”

One figure from the technical document presented during the session (Berthe F. et al) captures the scale of the challenge: animal health services receive on average only 0.05% of national GDP, while animal diseases reduce global agricultural production by approximately 20% per year.

Behind this underinvestment lie very real consequences: underused vaccines, insufficiently deployed diagnostic tools, rising antimicrobial resistance. Because the best product — vaccine, diagnostic, device — only creates value if it reaches those who need it, at the right time. This requires an enabling environment: manufacturers who can invest with visibility, and regulatory frameworks that secure the path from laboratory to field.

These challenges directly echo the work I have been able to carry out in the field of veterinary diagnostics, including through previous missions for Diagnostics for Animals and whose international regulatory mapping remains a reference in the sector.

References and credits:

• Berthe F. et al. Technical item – Technical Theme 2026: Investing in Animal Health to Secure Everyone’s Future. 93rd General Session of the World Assembly of Delegates, May 2026. World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Available at: https://www.woah.org/en/document/gs93_2026_wd_tech-01_technical-item/
• © One Health Compliance, 2026 – Photo taken during the 93rd General Session