Prof Crump is co-director of the University of Otago Centre for International Health, and an organiser of an international health conference, held in Dunedin last week.
New Zealand was a developed country but was also a big agricultural producer.
The country had developed considerable expertise in dealing with zoonotic diseases, which spread from various animals to people, he said.
New Zealand had eliminated hydatids and brucellosis in this country and could do more to help developing countries reduce their own problems.
Dr Ronald Jackson, a consultant in veterinary epidemiology, also discussed a recent study of brucellosis and other diseases affecting livestock and villagers in Herat province, Afghanistan.
Prof Crump said the UN Security Council seat New Zealand would take up in January gave the country a ''great opportunity'' to do more to promote holistic principles.
''I guess with it [the UN seat] comes responsibilities.''
The Otago centre had also developed health expertise which could help New Zealand provide more support. Some people from ''low resource countries'' had backed New Zealand's Security Council role.
''We can't help them solve all their problems but there are areas where [we] have expertise,''he said.
