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Regional SPS Frameworks and Strategies in Africa

Regional SPS Frameworks and Strategies in Africa. João Magalhães. APPROACH: A SCOPING STUDY. Objective: Inform and assess necessity of further SPS action at AUC’s and RECs’ levels. Actions: Assessment of RECs existing SPS frameworks, strategies, and action plans was carried out.

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Regional SPS Frameworks and Strategies in Africa

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  1. Regional SPS Frameworks and Strategies in Africa JoãoMagalhães

  2. APPROACH: A SCOPING STUDY • Objective: • Inform and assess necessity of further SPS action at AUC’s and RECs’ levels. • Actions: • Assessment of RECs existing SPS frameworks, strategies, and action plans was carried out. • Current tasks and responsibilities of the AUC and the RECs were evaluated.

  3. HOW WAS IT PREPARED? • Collected: • SPS frameworks, protocols, strategies, action plans • Relevant information published/provided by key multilateral/bilateral donor organizations, collected by e-mail/telephone /web/different sources • Questionnaire developed and sent to RECs & AUC • Replies received were used in the draft study.

  4. CHALLENGES FOR RECs • National problems: • Absence of national strategies • Weak or inexistent legal SPS frameworks • Faltering national coordination in many African countries • Inadequate or highly fragmented national SPS measures • Harsh reduction of export capacity • Countries’ ability to control imports severely affected

  5. CHALLENGES FOR RECs • Regional problems: • RECs mandated to develop legal and technical instruments to help Member States • RECs highly politicized nature implies slow decision-making and low visibility at grass-roots level • Fairly limited SPS-dedicated human resources • Reduced high level political awareness • Limited sense of “ownership” among Member States.

  6. REGIONAL FRAMEWORKS: THE RIGHT ANSWER? • RECs SPS policy frameworks tend to “mirror” WTO SPS Agreement • Duplication risks • Utility can be questioned • Concerns overlap different SPS regional policy frameworks, especially when the same country in more than one REC. • No evidence frameworks in force achieved aim • RECs’ no capacity to monitor RF implementation • The AUC: yet another SPS framework?

  7. STRATEGIES & ACTION PLANS • Limited information on RECs & AUC SPS strategies • Scattered activities. Are there strategies? • IF strategy is regional policy frameworks • Implementation of frameworks? • Some elements of strategies • regional harmonization • capacity building • establishment of Regional SPS Committees • No clear plans of action were identified • Are there plans of action?

  8. MOVING AHEAD • Recent interest of RECs for WTO SPS Committee • Several requests for observer status • Exposure to the work of the Committee beneficial for RECs and Member States • Involvement in the Committee’s work will avoid duplication of work (e.g. transparency, equivalence, regionalization) • Where is the AUC?

  9. MOVING AHEAD • Development regional standards, guidelines and recommendations • serious concerns risks overlap and/or duplication with international standards • Greater participation in ISSOs work better use of scarce human resources • Right person at the right place, please! • Participation of AUC officials also strongly encouraged

  10. MOVING AHEAD • Capacity building and technical assistance activities are the fields of election of the RECs and the AUC • Comparative advantage in their regions as partner organizations of international and foreign donors’ organizations • Coordination efforts with regard to capacity building and technical assistance improving • Approach increasingly “demand-driven” and oriented to “hands-on” aspects

  11. MOVING AHEAD • Need of strong SPS management mechanisms • Animal health: AU/IBAR (Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resource) • Plant protection: AU/IAPSC (Inter-African Ohytosanitary Council) • Food Safety: no management body • AU/DREA (Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture) • Role to play? Overall coordination?

  12. MEETING HIGH LEVEL AMBITIONS • RECs and AUC need to address their weaknesses • Identify weaknesses (needs) • Establish priorities • Set clear objectives • Establish plans of action • Establish visible strategies

  13. MEETING HIGH LEVEL AMBITIONS • New more participative attitudes on capacity building incl. new partnership models • Need for organized and efficient response • Need for continued and strengthened private sector involvement • Need for strengthened leadership(s) and individual responsibility • AUC & RECs logical & privileged partners

  14. HOW TO MAKE IT WORK? • RECs and AUC need to work on: • High level awareness • Sense of ownership • At high level… • And at technical level! • Individuals make the difference… together they make a BIGGER diference! • AUC+RECs+Countries have to work together!

  15. THANK YOU! João Magalhães jaomane@gmail.com

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