This PPG aims to develop a regional project proposal to promote the trade of live animals in Eastern Africa. During the PPG implementation critical issues related to biosafety, biosecurity, laboratory testing, zoonotic disease management, surveillance, and cross-border sharing of disease data, among others, will be assessed in order to prioritize and determine the specific scope of the resulting project proposal.Â
The Eastern African region is Africa's largest exporter of livestock. The sector is a significant source of income for herders, traders, processors, and governments in the region. However, the non-implementation of SPS measures to control transboundary animal diseases (TADs) poses a substantial risk to regional and international trade. For example, in 2021, a Rift Valley Fever (RVF) outbreak in Kenya led to the ban of livestock and livestock products imports in Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Although the ban has since been lifted, it stresses the need to comply with World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) terrestrial animal standards, guidelines, and regulatory frameworks established by regional trading blocs.
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