G/SPS/GEN/1728  
 
3 October 2019  
(19-6377) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
OUTLOOK ON ECOWAS -IMPLEMENTED SANITARY  AND PHYTOSANITARY A CTIVITIES 
DURING THE PERIOD OF  JULY  – NOVEMBER  2019  
COMMUNICATION FROM E COWAS -USAID SENIOR S ANITARY  
AND PHYTOSANITARY (S PS) STANDARDS ADVISO R 
The followi ng communication, received on 1st October 2019, is being circulated at the request of 
the Economic Community of West African States  (ECOWAS).  
 
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1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  The USAID/West Africa Regional Mission works to support the Economic Community of West 
African States (ECOWAS) to advance their vision to create an economic union and common market. 
In line with this objective , ECOWAS is implementing many agreements designed to support the free 
movement of goods and people throughout the region. In stan dards, a USAID/West Africa: Cost 
Reimbursement Implementation Letter no 2 signed between CILSS and USAID/West Africa, was 
extended. It is through this agreement  that focus will be on the continuity of Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary (SPS) standards.  
1.2.  With refere nce to the approved 2018 -2019 work plan and in view of improving and 
strengthening SPS activities in the ECOWAS region , the following activities were implemented during 
the period of  July - November  2019. 
2  PLANT HEALTH AND PLA NT PROTECTION  
2.1  Training workshop s on Keys tools and steps for development, implementation and 
management of an Electronic Phytosanitary Certification system for import and export of 
plants and plant products.  
2.1.  The Training workshop on "Keys tools and steps for development, implementation and 
management of an Electronic Phytosanitary Certification system for import and export of plants and 
plant products " was organized with the support of USDA -FAS Washington in cooperation with USDA -
APHIS Dakar, USAID West Africa, ECOWAS and Ghana Plant Pro tection and Regulatory Services 
(PPRSD). Representatives of National Plant Protection Offices from the 15 West Africa n countries 
(Benin, Burkina Faso, Ca bo Verde, C ôte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea -Bissau, 
Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo) attended the training. The main 
objectives were: (i) to help countries better understand electronic certification system 's principles, 
advantages and challenges ; (ii) to learn key tools  and steps to follow for a migration to E -certification 
system ; and (iii) to establish a "Regional e -Phyto Taskforce group " to start working together to 
address this new challenge.  
2.2.  The following key recommendations were made:  
• To send a communication to mi nisters of member States for promotion and use of e -phyto;  
• The ECOWAS Commission and its technical and financial partners to continue assisting 
member States with funding support towards the implementation of the e -phyto and other 
related activities;  G/SPS/GEN/1728  
 
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  • To as sist member States in resolving issues arising in relation to the development and 
implementation of their national e -phyto projects;  
• Member States should start working on the implementation e -phyto activities;  
• In the next meeting of the regional taskforce (schedule for December 2019) , updates on 
progress made should be presented by the ECOWAS Regional e -phyto Taskforce Group.  
2.2  Regional conference on sustainable management of FAW in the Sahel and West Africa: 
10-12 September 2019, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso  
2.3.  The recent introduction of the fall armyworm (FAW) as well as the discovery of the new alien 
invasive pest identified in West Africa and its growing threat to agriculture and food security have 
caused much concern in about 44 countries in the sub -Saharan region including 15 West African 
countries. The FAW is a crop-destroying worm and can cause high damage to maize, rice, sorghum, 
vegetables. These attributes have made the control of FAW a challenging task. There have been 
efforts to sensitize, build c apacity for the pest identification, knowledges sharing, etc. Overall, 
development of long -term management options has mobilized international experts and the national 
capacities of affected countries and raised general attention to caterpillar attacks on various crops. 
In the sub -region of West Africa, a taskforce of National Plant Protection Officers and partners of 
West Africa sub -region was established to ensure joint management of the pest and others.  
2.4.  From 10 –12 September 2019, a regional meeting was c onvened by the Government of Burkina 
Faso, with the support of FAO, CILSS, UEMOA, ECOWAS, USAID, CORAF and other partners. 
The objectives of the meeting were : (i) to exchange experiences and lessons learned from the recent 
FAW invasion in Africa ; and ( ii) to mobilize a community of experts to provide technical and policy 
advice for effective control at regional and national level by member States. The meeting brought 
together 346  participants from 21 countries, including the 17 CILSS -UEMOA -ECOWAS countries,  and 
Southern, Central and Eastern Africa; university professors and researchers. NGOs, technical and 
financial partners (TFP), farmer apex organizations, private sector, ECOWAS, UEMOA, CILSS, G5 -
Sahel, CORAF, FAO, CABI, ICIPE, IITA.  
2.5.  The following key reco mmendations were made :  
• To ECOWAS Commission  and member States  
o To conduct sensitization actions during the International Year of Plant Health in 
2020;  
o To accelerate the harmonization of phytosanitary regulations to strengthen regional 
coordination in the m anagement of FAW and beyond, other crop pests;  
o To continue advocacy for greater mobilization of human, material and financial 
resources for an effective and sustainable response to FAW and other crop pests in 
the Sahel and West Africa;  
o To operationalize th e phytosanitary emergency fund through a mechanism for 
levying a percentage on exports from member countries;  
o To strengthen human resources for the conduct of research activities and the 
implementation of operational actions;  
o To promote an integrated pest management (IPM) approach and scale up already 
proven control methods.  
• To technical and financial partners  
o To support member States and regional economic community in the region in the 
search for solutions against the scourge of the fall armyworm which pos es a serious 
threat to the food and nutritional security and food safety of the Sahelian and West 
African populations.  
2.3  Participation to 2019 IPPC regional workshop  
2.6.  A representative of the ECOWAS Commission participated in the 2019 IPPC regional workshop 
for Africa held from 2 -6 September 2019, in Nairobi, Kenya.  Experience was shared through a 
presentation on "Regional Implementation of IPPC Regulations and Guidelines: A case study of 
ECOWAS' activities and West Africa member States".  G/SPS/GEN/1728  
 
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  3  FOOD SAFETY AND CAPA CITY BUILDING  
3.1  Codex Coordinating Committee for Africa 23rd meeting  
3.1.  The FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa convened its Twenty -third Session 
(CCAFRICA23) in Nairobi, Kenya, from 2 to 6 September 2019 at the kind invitation of the 
Government of Kenya. Thirty -two member Countries, five member Countries  and one member 
Organi zation from outside the Region, seven Observer organi zations, and the representatives of FAO 
and WHO, attended the Session. It is to note that some African delegations were supported by 
USDA -FAS, USAID, FAO, WHO, ECOWAS, AU -IBAR.  
3.2.  The delegate of ECOWAS participated in the panel presentation on AFRICA CONTINENTAL FREE 
TRADE AREA – A QUEST FOR TRADE IN SAFE FOOD. Detailed information on the discussion and the 
conclusion can be found in the CCAFRICA23 report available on the C odex web site. 
3.2  Participation to FAO regional workshops  
3.3.  A representative of the ECOWAS Commission participated in the food safety training provided 
by FAO to the member States in August and September 2019.  
4  GENERAL CONCLUSION AND WAY F ORWARD  
4.1.  The ECOWAS Commission tak es this opportunity to thank its technical and financial partners, 
AU-IBAR for their continuing support in advancing SPS issues in the ECOWAS region and beyond. 
It also want s to call for more collaboration, support for future implementation of actions to b etter 
address SPS matters in the region.  
 
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