Case Study: SPS Issues and Regional Trade in ... - OIE Africa

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the livestock sector of SADC, 6 SADC FMD Program 7 and SADC Trans-boundary AnimalDiseases (TADs) project, theoretically addressing the above-mentioned constraints havebeen launched. These projects and programs are aimed at better coordination of thelivestock sector of the region. The most visible activity is the Livestock InformationManagement System (LIMS) developed recently to facilitate sharing of information amongSADC members. The SADC Trans-boundary animal diseases (TADs) project comprisingrinderpest, CBPP, FMD, African swine fever, Newcastle disease (ND), avian influenza (AI),Rift valley fever and lumpy skin disease has yet to have a visible impact in terms ofincreased trade opportunities despite positive statements by FANR on their website.In execution, the role of FANR and the SADC SPS Annex in promoting trade in the SADCregion in beef products can be regarded as minimal. Most SADC countries lack the willand the means to comply with the TAHC requirements in terms of quarantinemeasures/requirements, inspection procedures, testing procedures, approval procedures,sampling procedures, certification and methods of risk assessment. Food safety laws inmost SADC countries lag behind trading partner laws in the EU and USA, including foodsafety-related labeling and packaging requirements, processing/production/requirements.Both SADC and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) havebegun to lobby the WTO and, more specifically, the OIE to look at alternatives togeographical freedoms from disease as a basis for trade in animals and animal products.The argument for the alternative is in essence the „commoditization‟ of meat (also referredto as commodity based trade (CBT)) using rules that are applied by the CODEXAlimentarious Commission (CAC). The arguments and the response by the OIE issummarized in Appendix 3. Quite apart from the lack of capacity in the veterinarydepartments of SADC member countries to research the issues noted by the OIE, a furthercomplication to the development of CBT are the large number of diseases in the wildlife ofAfrica (Appendix 4).6 Commenced in 2005 and concluded in 20087 Concluded in 200928
6. CONCLUSIONSThe only significant trade in animal products within SADC is from Namibia and Botswanato South Africa. South Africa is net importer of animal products and in effect only Botswanaand Namibia have both surpluses for export and can meet the necessary SPSrequirements. The level of this trade is limited by the more lucrative markets in the EU, ascompared with South Africa. Currently both Namibia and Botswana are, in fact, unable tofill their EU quotas. Swaziland also has access to the South African and EU markets buthas structural problems in its beef industry which limit production and the country fails tomeets it quotas. In the case of FMD alone, no other country in SADC meets therequirements of the OIE for beef exports.The OIE has been very pro-active in promoting the harmonization of SPS regulationsthrough programs to ensure that country disease reports are made regularly to the WAHIDdatabase, event notifications are made and through the use of the PVS tool to promoteveterinary frameworks (policy, legislation, human capacity and infrastructure) to deliver onWTO SPS commitments by SADC countries. However on any measure the entire animalhealth structures in SADC do not compare in scope or pro-activeness with those of eitherAustralia or Brazil (countries with similar climates and range of animal health issues)despite considerable investment by the EU, OIE, FAO and other donor partners. In parallelthere seems limited scope for any increase in opportunities for trade within and fromSADC that would derive from current programs. For example, while the SADC LIMSproject is active in promoting discussions and information sharing among animal healthspecialists in the region, an examination of the content in the various discussions does notseem to contain much that would be of immediate practical benefit in terms of trade.Regional successes can in fact be generally traced to instances of strong public-privatepartnerships, or failures - in the case of Zimbabwe, to their disappearance. Examplesinclude the participation of the private sector commercial farmers in Namibia, the ostrichgrowers through their association in South Africa and the success of the newly creatednational cattle producers association in Botswana, the BCPA. Regional, government anddonor led programs generally appear to lack commercial direction and cutting edgemanagement if they do not engage with strong private sector partners.29
Page 1 and 2: Case Study: SPS Issues and Regional
Page 3 and 4: 5.1 FMD Control Measures ..........
Page 5 and 6: EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe trade in anima
Page 7 and 8: (TAHC) and the Aquatic Animal Healt
Page 9 and 10: Figures 1 and 2: Estimated distribu
Page 11 and 12: penetrate South Africa market due t
Page 13 and 14: A survey in November 1991 revealed
Page 15 and 16: Figure 5: Carrying capacity map for
Page 17 and 18: 3.3.2 Disease control servicesVeter
Page 19 and 20: Table 9: Exports of live animals an
Page 21: to that of SADC and as such they en
Page 24: notifications and of these only two
Page 30 and 31: APPENDIX 1: CONTACT DETAILS OF SADC
Page 32 and 33: APPENDIX 2: DOCUMENTATION AND PROCE
Page 34 and 35: country which requires a detailed k
Page 36 and 37: abattoirs in regions that are not o
Page 38 and 39: REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY1 See
Page 40: 42 Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Case Study: SPS Issues and Regional Trade in ... - OIE Africa

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