IGAD BRIEF UPDATE REPORT TO THE SPS COMMITTEE

The following communication, received on 20 May 2025, is being circulated at the request of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

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1.  The IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) is a regional technical Center of IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development), a regional economic community serving the eight member States in Eastern Africa (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda). Technical support provided for the above member States by IGAD/ICPALD during the reporting period to enhance transboundary animal disease control and livestock trade in the region, complementing the national development efforts of member States, includes:

1  Training of Trainers on Harmonizing Laboratory Tests and Testing Procedures for Trade-Related Transboundary Animal Diseases

2.  ICPALD facilitated Training of Trainers (ToT) from 23–25 April 2025, at the Sebeta Animal Health Institute in Ethiopia, targeting laboratory technicians from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. A total of 22 participants (seven of them female) were trained on harmonizing laboratory testing procedures for trade-related transboundary animal diseases (TADs) in cross-border areas.

3.  The training focused on the implementation and application of sixteen Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the diagnosis of priority TADs, including foot and mouth disease (FMD), peste des petits ruminants (PPR), and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) that were developed with technical support from the African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD), with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

4.  By standardizing diagnostic protocols and improving laboratory practices, the training significantly enhanced participants' capacity to support the implementation of sanitary andphytosanitary (SPS) measures that are critical requirements under international trade frameworks such as those of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

5.  Improved compliance with SPS standards is vital for the safe trade of livestock and livestock products. In the context of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region where cross-border livestock movement is essential for livelihoods, food security, and economic integration, harmonized laboratory testing enhances effective control of TADs and facilitates transboundary trade. These efforts also position IGAD member States to better access regional and global markets by meeting import requirements of trading partners.

6.  The training has built a pool of national trainers who will cascade the knowledge and practices within their institutions and countries, fostering sustainability and institutionalization of harmonized diagnostic standards.

7.  Acknowledgment: The successful implementation of this training activity was made possible through the generous financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), whose commitment to strengthening veterinary services and promoting safe and fair trade in the IGAD is gratefully acknowledged.

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