Kahn, Sarah

Following graduation as BVSc at the University of Melbourne in 1978, Sarah Kahn followed a career in the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and was Head of the Animal Quarantine Policy Branch in AQIS (Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service).  She moved to Canada as Director of the Animal Health and Production Division of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which is the federal agency responsible for animal health. As Director, she was also Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer of Canada, and Commissioner to the North American FMD (foot and mouth disease) Vaccine Bank.

Since August, 2006 Sarah has been Director of the International Trade Department at the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in Paris.  The OIE is an intergovernmental organisation with 168 Member Countries. It predates the UN, having been founded in 1924 to deal with a catastrophic outbreak of cattle plague (rinderpest) in Europe. The OIE’s scientific and technical publications are important reference works for national Veterinary Services and for countries that are members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as they are the reference standards for national animal health status and for international trade in animals and animal products. The OIE’s Codes (Terrestrial Animal Health and Aquatic Animal Health) are produced by the International Trade Department of the OIE. The scientific and technical content of the Codes are developed through the work of experts drawn from all around the world, meeting in working groups (on Animal Welfare and Animal Production Food Safety) and in ad hoc groups convened to address specific topics.  One of OIE’s most important priorities is the improvement of veterinary infrastructure in developing countries and there are  collaborations with international organisations, donors and countries all around the world working to this end.