Legal Status

To support its goals and various strategic programs, the members of the CaribVET network have decided to structure themselves around a legal entity by creating the Association.

1. CaribVET is a network of experts in the surveillance and control of animal diseases in the Caribbean, which began in the late 1990s and was officially recognized in 2006 by CARICOM and COTED. The CaribVET network was also officially recognized by the OIE in 2012, as can be seen in Appendix.

2. The purpose of the CaribVET network is to share information, create and develop synergies among the representatives of veterinary authorities, research and teaching institutions and regional and international organizations to support research and develop veterinary projects in the Caribbean territories. This should be done while considering the limited human and financial resources of the various States in designing and maintaining a robust system of animal and human health protection and promoting an interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral One Health approach. Furthermore, CaribVET provides a contact point in the cases of crises or incidents affecting the animal / livestock sector.

3. The CaribVET network aims to meet the following challenges:

  • provide an integrated surveillance and control system to help public decision-makers facilitate trade, strengthen the prevention, control and preparedness of animal and zoonotic diseases as well as encourage research;
  • anticipate and identify the potentially harmful consequences of animal diseases, including zoonotic and transboundary animal diseases, on agricultural trade, public health, food and nutrition security and socio-economic development in Caribbean countries;
  • address the urgent need for collaborative and coherent regional and national approaches to strengthen existing animal health measures and initiatives to prevent the introduction, establishment and spread of animal, zoonotic or foodborne pathogens in the Caribbean.
  • contribute to reduce vulnerability and increase resilience to disasters that impact the animal and the animal/livestock sector by setting the stage of the implementation of a shared strategy that addresses disaster risk reduction and management.

Here is the integral document of the Legal Status:  CaribVET STATUS_ENGLISH_FINAL