A Unified Africa Voice Equals Better Animal Health and Safety Standards
Posted by Angela Mutegi on 22 June 2023 3:30 PM CAT
“We are no longer spectators,” quips John Oppong-Otoo, a Food Safety Expert at the African Union – Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR). He is also the technical lead responsible for implementing one of the seven project result areas at the Live2Africa Project. “Africa can now speak with one voice,” he asserts, citing the Project’s ability to influence political participation of Member States on animal health matters, as one of its most significant achievements.
According to Oppong-Otoo, the Agreement on the application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures provides that countries must work together to align their respective measures on animal diseases, yet there were many instances where international standards were developed without taking into account the institutional capacity needs of Africa. Member States of the Africa Union are signatory to the World Trade Organization(WTO), which enforces the Agreement.
“Our collective voice is stronger, and we now have a seat at the global table, improving the quality of Africa’s participation in the work of international standard setting organizations,” he remarks. The gains have been hard won. As Project lead, Oppong-Otoo coordinated Member States, by organizing meetings to solicit their inputs and comments. This culminated in an African position which was presented at the International Negotiation Forum.
Capability to establish national structures
Prior to the implementation of the Live2Africa Project, supported by the European Union and AU Commission, African Country representatives lacked the capacity to shape discussions, as there were no national mechanisms to prepare them for such participation. The Project supported countries to develop their respective national structures. "We recognized our lack of good national structures, but came together and learned from each other," discloses Oppong-Otoo. Live2Africa Project built the capacities of Member Countries from peer learning through to development of the standards.
"If a country is involved in the development of standards, it becomes easier to implement them, as all emerging issues are considered in the process. A country cannot therefore come back to say the standards are too difficult to implement," he explains. “We partly supported Liberia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe to build structures that can now prepare national positions, and they managed to send their comments to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH),” reports Oppong-Otoo. This has traditionally been done by South Africa, Namibia, and occasionally, Botswana, and there is need for more countries to join in.
Safeguarding Africa's image and interests
Oppong-Otoo states that countries are more confident to state their positions if they have the full support of other African countries. "We are proud that we can now shape decisions. Other regions are consulting us regarding their positions, because they know that Africa has become a stronger force that will not adopt a position that doesn’t favour it,” says Mr Oppong-Otoo.
It's worth noting that the Member Countries are able to speak with one voice on trade issues and on representation of Africa. "For example, a standard referred to as 'African Trypanosomiasis,' suggested by name that the disease exists only in Africa, yet it is also found in other regions, We pushed back, and successfully removed Africa from the name," says Oppong-Otoo. The team also successfully negotiated for the inclusion of certain cattle species that had been excluded from disease management standards, such as the African Water Buffalo. Such moves help to protect Africa’s dignity and interests in the trade of animals and animal products.
Background
The Sustainable Development of Livestock for Livelihoods in Africa (Live2Africa) Project, was developed as an initiative by AU – IBAR towards the implementation of continental components of the Livestock Development Strategy for Africa (LiDeSA 2015 – 2035). The Live2Africa Project was implemented by AU-IBAR through European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU). The seven year project that run from June 2017 to June 2023, was implemented in all five regions of the continent, in partnership with six Regional Economic Communities (COMESA, EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, SADC and UMA),African Union Member States, and with a diversity of technical and implementing partners and livestock value chain actors.
