African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU/IBAR) Perspectives of ACP countries involvement in standard-setting Dr. Medhat.

African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU/IBAR)

www.au-ibar.org

Perspectives of ACP countries involvement in

standard-settingDr. Medhat El-HelepiDr. Medhat El-Helepi

AU/IBARAU/IBAREconomist and PAN-SPSO Project

Coordinator

Brussels Development Briefing on Food safety and health standards-

CTAMay 11, 2009, Belgium


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Presentation Structure

AU/IBAR Project data sheet Rational Objectives Operation Activities directly aimed at

improving participation effectiveness


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AU/IBAR

AU/IBAR stands for African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources

Established in 1951 to study the epidemogical situation and fight rinderpest in Africa.

Became one of the regional technical offices of the AU in 1965

As other six regional technical offices, AU/IBAR reports directly to the Director of the Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA) of the AUC

It has the mandated to support and coordinate It has the mandated to support and coordinate the improvement of animals as a resource for the improvement of animals as a resource for human wellbeing in the member states of the human wellbeing in the member states of the African Union and to contribute to economic African Union and to contribute to economic development, particularly in rural areas.development, particularly in rural areas.


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AU/IBAR

AU/IBAR approaches livestock development AU/IBAR approaches livestock development from three strategic angles: animal health, from three strategic angles: animal health, animal production, and trade of animal animal production, and trade of animal products.products.

AU/IBAR managed to eradicate/controlling AU/IBAR managed to eradicate/controlling several animal diseases in Africaseveral animal diseases in Africa

It does so though a number of projects and It does so though a number of projects and programsprograms

It runs 9 ongoing projects with a total fund It runs 9 ongoing projects with a total fund of around $60mof around $60m

It has 4 projects in the pipeline for another It has 4 projects in the pipeline for another $60m$60m


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PAN-SPSO Title:Title:

Participation of African Nations in Sanitary Participation of African Nations in Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standard-Setting and Phytosanitary Standard-Setting Organizations (PAN-SPSO)Organizations (PAN-SPSO)

Total Fund: Total Fund: EURO 3,855,000EURO 3,855,000EC Contribution: EURO 3,350,000 EC Contribution: EURO 3,350,000 from from intra-ACP funds of the 9th EDFintra-ACP funds of the 9th EDF IBAR & IAPSC (co-implementers) IBAR & IAPSC (co-implementers) Contribution: EURO 505,000Contribution: EURO 505,000Implementation Partners: COMESA, EAC, Implementation Partners: COMESA, EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, CEN-SAD, IGAD, SADCECCAS, ECOWAS, CEN-SAD, IGAD, SADC

Implementation Period:Implementation Period: Three years started 5/2008Three years started 5/2008


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Rational Exporting countries need to prove

that the standards they are applying are science-based, equivalent, and does not constitute a barrier to trade.

African countries have had it difficult proving that the products they export meet international standards and are equivalent to those of their developed-country trading partners.

Most programmes that address SPS related problems have focused on technical issues of compliance


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Less work has been done on promoting participation in setting SPS standards meetings where effective participation of African countries in the formulation of international SPS standards remains a fundamental problem


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PAN-SPSOPAN-SPSO Objectives:

Overall Objective: to contribute the reduction of poverty, and enhanced food security in Africa through greater access for agricultural products from African countries to international markets.

Specific Objective: facilitate effective participation of African countries in the activities of the OIE, IPPC and CAC during the formulation of international standards on food safety, animal and plant health.


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PAN-SPSO

Beneficiary CountriesBeneficiary Countries:: ACP member states of the African Union that are:

Members of the WTO Participating in the activities of the

OIE, IPPC and CAC Members at any of the eight

recognized Regional Economic Communities (RECs)


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PAN-SPSO

Stakeholders: African Union Directorate Of Rural

Economy and Agriculture (DERA) AU/IBAR and AU-IAPSC African Nations African Regional Economic

Communities STDF Private sector Institutions involved in setting

International standards (OIE, CAC, IPPC), and WTO


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PAN-SPSO

Final beneficiaries:African agricultural (including livestock and fisheries) producers, market operators and agro-processors


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PAN-SPSO Expected Results:

Result 1: African countries strengthened to empower SPS offices for effective participation in SPS standard setting activities

Result 2: Common position of African nations in SPS standards at continental and REC levels strengthened


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PAN-SPSO

– Result 3: Technical capacity of African countries to draft standards and to develop arguments strengthened

– Result 4: Relevant SPS-related data and information are acquired and disseminated to African countries through established accessible information sharing platform


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Reasons Behind Lack of Effective Participation in “Producing” Standards

Access to experts who are qualified Access to experts who are qualified to take active part in scientific to take active part in scientific discussions at the national level is discussions at the national level is difficult. difficult.

The high turnover among the The high turnover among the African staff attending the OIE, African staff attending the OIE, IPPC and CAC technical committee IPPC and CAC technical committee meetings and the lack of follow-up meetings and the lack of follow-up mechanism on decisions reached mechanism on decisions reached during these meetings.during these meetings.


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There is the problem of inadequate technical capacity and available resources to engage in the development of new standards and in assessing the scientific justifications for particular SPS measures.

The lack of harmonization and net-The lack of harmonization and net-working makes it difficult to come up with working makes it difficult to come up with common policy options.common policy options.

Low political supportLow political support Overloaded dutiesOverloaded duties


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Weaknesses / Needs(from ISSOs point of view)

Low budget / political support Improper institutional settings

(representation, preparation) Lack of coordination and

common position Lack of tech. capacities and

qualified personnel Low Understanding of ISSOs

processes


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Consequences of Low Participation

On ISSOs Lack of equity Lack of relevance Lack of credibility of ISSOs and standards

On African countries African specificities not taken into

account Standards difficult to meet Low ownership and understanding of

standards Inadequate implementation of standards


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Activities aimed directly at strengthening the

participation of African Nations

Facilitate identifying SPS issues of continental/ regional/national interest and provide analysis of related SPS standards to facilitate the formulation of common position and regional strategies for attendance at ISSOs.

Organize at least one annual consultation meeting for Directors of Food Safety, Veterinary Services and Plant Protection to share ideas and information prior to the OIE, IPPC and Codex standard-setting meetings.

Identify experts in particular SPS fields to provide Identify experts in particular SPS fields to provide training and technical expertise on commenting on training and technical expertise on commenting on draft standards to national representatives and on draft standards to national representatives and on developing standards. developing standards.

Organize at least one annual consultation meeting for Directors of Food Safety, Veterinary Services and Plant Protection to share ideas and information prior to the OIE, IPPC and Codex standard-setting meetings


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participation of African Nations (Cont.)

Facilitate identifying SPS issues of continental/ regional/national interest and provide analysis of related SPS standards to facilitate the formulation of common position and regional strategies for attendance at ISSOs.

RECs organize training workshops on the use of science-based methods and development of drafts, discussion papers, scientific arguments (comments and revisions) in standard-setting.


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Support national training by selected representatives

Facilitate development, drafting standards, commenting on draft standards and reviewing existing standards in areas of interest to African countries


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Set up an integrated database for SPS related data by upgrading the current ARIS database in IBAR

Produce SPS updates on a bi-annual basis containing information on relevant SPS issues regarding animal and plant production and food safety. These updates will provide simplification of relevant articles of OIE, CAC and IPPC Codes and avail these to countries for use by their participants

Compile research results and scientific information related to most relevant standards and produce briefings on each of them


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PAN-SPSO: Implementation modalities (1)

IBAR and IAPSC are co-implementers IBAR and IAPSC are co-implementers providing the technical guidelines providing the technical guidelines for the implementation of the for the implementation of the project.project.

The day-to-day management of the The day-to-day management of the project will be undertaken by the project will be undertaken by the Project Coordination unit (PCU). The Project Coordination unit (PCU). The PCU consist of the project PCU consist of the project Coordinator, Food Safety Expert, Coordinator, Food Safety Expert, relevant technical staff from IBAR relevant technical staff from IBAR and IAPSC, Administrative Assistant.and IAPSC, Administrative Assistant.


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PAN-SPSO: Implementation modalities (2)

7 RECs (COMESA, EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, CEN-SAD, IGAD, SADC) are partners, implementing a number of activities at the REC level.

RECs will assign designated focal point who will be responsible for formulating a detailed annual work plan to be submitted to the PCU, and will be in charge of the implementation of the activities approved.

RECs will be working closely with member states to ensure achieving the expected results.


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Project Organizational Structure

African Union(DREA)

AU/IBARProject Coordination Unit

Project Support Unit

Zoo-Sanitary UnitIBAR, NairobiPhyto-Sanitary Unit

IAPSC, Yaoundé

7 RECs

Member States

ProjectSteering

Committee

Info flow

STDF


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Defining Guidelines

The project is working closely with ISSOs, as well other organizations such as STDF, FAO and USAID, to build synergies, avoid duplication of efforts aimed at improving the participation of African countries in the activities of ISSOs organizations and to make advantage of regional meetings and already existing databases, ToRs and manual training.

The project highly support RECs to coordinate the actions of African countries during the activities of ISSOs, giving more focus on building the capacity of RECs. RECs-based activities should take into consideration the variation in SPS level among RECs and the RECs ongoing programs.

PAN-SPSO focuses its activities into the following themes: a- Building capacity of RECs secretariats and countries b- Encourage having common position among African countries in ISSOs activitiesc- Encourage establishing national SPS committeesd- Strengthening SPS data and information share among African countries


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PAN-SPSO Foreseen Activities

Panafrican CVOs meeting on Africa’s coordinated position on animal health standards

Draft ISPM workshop Training of experts and RECs staff Training of national delegates to ISSOs at

regional level Training of national staff at country level Promoting SPS national committees Support RECs to apply for observer status with

ISSOs and WTO Support the participation of RECs in the

attendance of WTO-SPS and ISSOs meeting Extend the ARIS 11 to include data on plant

health and information on food safety


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Role of AU/IBAR: Mechanism for

coordination of Africa’s position on animal health

standards Secretariat at IBAR (PAN-SPSO

then IBAR) 2 CVOs annual meeting: April,

November, institutionalized, PAN-SPSO support for 2 years

Expert consultative group


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Secretariat requests contribution by African experts (to be identified) for groups of issues on proposed amendments (September and March meetings)

Proposals of comments/positions are circulated to CVOs for endorsement before meetings

Common position(s) circulated and submitted by countries


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CVOs meetings: finalize common position on: Decisions for adoption at general session

(May) Comments on standards proposed for new

cycle (August, December) Identification of new issues to be proposed

for committees or ad-hoc groups Nomination of experts to represent Africa

in different technical committees


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PAN-SPSO

Dr. Medhat El-HelepiDr. Medhat El-HelepiEconomist & PAN-SPSO Coordinator Economist & PAN-SPSO Coordinator

& African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources & African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU/IBAR)(AU/IBAR)

Kenindia Business Park Building, Museum Hill, Westlands Kenindia Business Park Building, Museum Hill, Westlands RoadRoad

P. O. Box 30786-00100P. O. Box 30786-00100Nairobi, KenyaNairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254 20 3674 203 (Direct)Tel: +254 20 3674 203 (Direct) +254 20 3674 000 (Switchboard) +254 20 3674 000 (Switchboard)

Cel: +254 0736161034Cel: +254 0736161034Fax: +254 20 3674 341Fax: +254 20 3674 341

Email: Email: [email protected] email: Private email: [email protected]@gmail.com

African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU/IBAR) Perspectives of ACP countries involvement in standard-setting Dr. Medhat.

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