Technical Assistance for SADC Livestock Sector: Building Capacity and Promoting Trade

1. Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Activities in SADC Dr. B. J. Mtei, Senior Livestock Expert FANR Directorate SADC Secretariat, Gaborone WTO Workshop on Technical Cooperation and SPS Committee Meeting 5th November 2002 Geneva Switzerland

2. SADC Member States SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

3. SADC Protocol on Trade Objectives • Liberalise intra-regional trade of goods and services • Ensure efficient production reflecting comparative advantages • Contribute towards investment; • Enhance the economic development and diversification • Establish a Free Trade Area SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

4. SADC Trade Protocol • All goods and services are covered • 85% of total intra SADC Trade is expected to be liberalized by 2008 • The remaining 15% by 2012 • Implementation underscores the need for setting standards of trade • Little work has been done with respect to Agricultural goods and services SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

5. Tech Assist and Cooperation on SPS • To improve understanding of the SPS Agreement • Stakeholders aware of their obligations and rights • Enhance coordination, harmonization and integration • M and E of SPS measures implementation Technical assistance is broadly based on three categories: Training, Information Infrastructure development. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

6. Training • Through RAPID (Regional Activity to Promote Integration by Dialogue)SADC has undertaken inventory and needs assessments of: - institutions, • - policies • - technical capacities Outcome • Framework for comparison of existing gaps • Development of a Technical Annex on SPS to the SADC Protocol on Trade • Guidance on trade in agricultural goods and services SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

7. Training cont.. • Training by the EU funded RFSTP (Regional Food Security Training Programme) on: • - rights and obligations, • - harmonization, equivalence, • - risk assessment • - trade dispute settlement procedures. • - transparency provisions • Sponsorships are required for more people to participate in seminars, short courses workshops and meetings SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

8. Information • Knowledge of the SPS Agreement is often lacking • Mandates of the international standard-setting bodies (OIE, IPPC and Codex) are poorly understood • Inadequate participation in the development of • standards and guidelines SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

9. Table 1: Membership to WTO and International Standard Setting Bodies SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

10. Information (cont) • TOR for the National SPS Committees are often not • well articulated • At regional level there are no mechanisms established • to monitor progress on harmonization and integration • of SPS Measures • Private sector participation is minimum SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

11. Infrastructure Development • Expert training for specific technologies and proceduresfor human, animal and plant health hazards:surveillance, laboratory tests and diagnosis, progressive control and effective prevention and inspection, 2 Development of SPS – related electronic software e.g for surveillance and reporting. 3 Regulatory frameworks must be reviewed to conform to agreed standards and guidelines 4 Information Communication Technology 5 Investment in infrastructure to maintain pest and disease free zones SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

12. In summary • Public and Private resources are not adequate for SPS Activities • Most of the Member States either have no laws or they are outdated and do not providerequirements demanded by the SPS Agreement • There are institutional problems in almost all the SADC Member States in coordination thedepartments involved in SPS Measures, which can be confusing for importers and exporters SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

13. In some of the SADC Member States National SPS Committees have not been established or may have been established but they are not functional. • CCapacity building for SPS activities is the major problem in SADC Member States to implement the SPS Agreement. Lack of personnel, laboratories and equipment to diagnosis plant and animaldisease and to conduct analysis on food samples poses a great risk to human health and hinders trade SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

14. Conclusions SADC Member States have made little headway in terms of SPS Agreement implementation. The right institutions, regulations, and enforcement need to be put in place. The key areas for Technical Assistance are training, strengtheningof the appropriate institutions, communication, and upgrading the technical facilities for testing and establishing standards. At national level New regulations need to also be put into place while at the regional level the Technical Annex to the SADC Protocol on Trade is expected to guide development, harmonization and enforcement of SPS Measures. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector