Kazakhstan achieves foot-and-mouth disease-free status without vaccination

At the 93rd General Session of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), held in Paris, delegates from the organization’s 183 member countries decided to grant Kazakhstan the status of a foot-and-mouth disease-free zone with vaccination. The official certificate was presented to the Kazakhstani delegation on May 22.

As a result, the entire territory of the country is now covered by internationally recognized foot-and-mouth disease-free zones that comply with WOAH standards. Kazakhstan is the only country in East and Central Asia with this status. Achieving this recognition was the result of extensive and consistent work carried out by the Government since 2024.

As part of the preparation and assessment of the country’s veterinary system, a comprehensive set of veterinary preventive, monitoring, organizational, and control measures was implemented to ensure epizootic well-being, improve the effectiveness of veterinary supervision, and enhance the biosecurity system.

Kazakhstan is consistently strengthening its system of internationally recognized epizootic well-being and confirming the high level of national veterinary safety. Today, the entire territory of the country is covered by internationally recognized zones free from foot-and-mouth disease with vaccination, which is an important result of the state’s systematic work. In addition, Kazakhstan annually confirms its official disease-free status for African horse sickness and classical swine fever, while also maintaining self-declarations for highly pathogenic avian influenza and African swine fever in accordance with WOAH requirements, said Saparov.

According to him, obtaining this status will strengthen Kazakhstan’s international standing, increase trust among foreign trade partners, and expand the export potential of domestic livestock products.

As part of the 93rd WOAH General Session, the Kazakhstani delegation led by the agriculture minister actively participated in discussions on key issues of the international veterinary agenda. Particular attention was given to biosecurity, combating transboundary animal diseases, and strengthening international cooperation in the veterinary field.

On the sidelines of the session, Saparov met with WOAH Director General Emmanuelle Soubeyran. She noted that Kazakhstan demonstrates a consistent and systematic approach to developing its veterinary service, implementing WOAH international standards, and strengthening regional cooperation in Central Asia.

Emmanuelle Soubeyran highly praised Kazakhstan’s work in developing scientific and diagnostic capabilities and suggested presenting the country’s positive experience in modernizing its veterinary service to WOAH member states during a ministerial roundtable and the organization’s General Session.

Earlier, Qazinform reported Kazakhstan’s grain exports to Afghanistan rise by 2.3 times.