Page 36 - VHSA - Onderstepoort 100 Years - Part 1

OND
ERSTEPOORT 100
On the international scene Onderstepoort was involved in a spurt of activities during the 1950s. A Commission for Technical Cooperation in Africa South of the Sahara (CCTA) was founded in 1950 in London by an international agreement between the governments of Belgium, France, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nyasaland, Portugal, Rhodesia, South Africa and the United Kingdom. For a period of 10 years the CCTA facilitated a large number of developmental and collaborative projects under the able guidance of P.J. du Toit.
In 1952 six member countries of the CCTA – Belgium, France, Portugal, South Africa, Southern Rhodesia and the UK established the Inter-African Bureau for Epizootic Diseases (IBED) with its headquarters at Muguga in Kenya as a sub-committee of the CCTA. IBED, whose name was changed in 1960 to IBAH (Inter-African Bureau of Animal Health) played an important role in disseminating information on transboundary animal diseases and coordinating measures to combat them. In view
of its advanced veterinary expertise, Onderstepoort, representing South Africa, played a leading
role in its programmes and in 1957 Alexander was elected President of IBED. Unfortunately, the decolonization of Africa during the 1960s led to the withdrawal of the colonial powers from these organizations and to the political isolation of South Africa that had to relinquish its membership of the CCTA and its subcommittees.
These developments in Africa also affected relations further abroad. The International Office for Epizootic Diseases (OIE) was founded in 1924 in Paris to facilitate animal disease control worldwide. South Africa became a member in 1936 but activities were dormant until after World War II. In
1953 Alexander wrote a memorandum to the Secretary of Agriculture expressing the opinion that membership of the OIE was of little value to South Africa and that the government should rather support IBED.
Much discussion followed and matters came to a point when the OIE raised its membership fees substantially in 1956 and the Minister requested Alexander’s advice. His recommendation was termination of membership, based on conflicting measures recommended by OIE and IBED for
the control of foot and mouth disease and claiming unacceptable autocratic demeanour by the OIE President. It was consequently decided by government to terminate South Africa’s membership at the end of 1958, but apparently the notification was never transmitted to the OIE by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
During 1959 IBED came to an agreement with the OIE and the latter’s new President requested South Africa to reconsider its decision ‘in view of the considerable contribution it could make to the control of animal diseases worldwide.’ After intensive discussion at various levels, Alexander changed his mind and in 1960 recommended reversal of the previous decision. This time, however, his Minister declined, unwilling to yield to political pressure. The matter was only resolved in 1961 when Onderstepoort’s new Director, B.C.Jansen, obtained approval for the resumption of South Africa’s membership.
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PART 1
Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute: General History
1908-2008
Years