G/SPS/GEN/2019  
 
19 May 2022  
(22-3859) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
ECOWAS IMPLEMENTED SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY ACTIVITIES  
DURING THE PERIOD OF MARCH - JUNE  2022  
COMMUNICATION FROM ECOWAS -USAID SENIOR SANITARY  
AND PHYTOSANITARY (SPS) STANDARDS ADVIS OR 
The following communication, received on 17 May 2022 , 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, USDA, Food and Agriculture Organizat ion Subregional 
Office for West Africa (FAOSFW) and Food and Agriculture Organization Resilience Office for 
West Africa and the Sahel (FAOREOWA) work to support the Economic Community of West African 
States  (ECOWAS) to advance their vision to create an eco nomic 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. Since 2017, SPS -related actions have been 
implemented.  
1.2.  In view of improving and strengthening SPS activities in the ECOWAS region, the following 
activities were implemented during the period of March - June 2022. It is to note that since 
March  2020, the COVID -19 pandemic that is still with us has impacted the smooth implementation  
of SPS -related activities at national and regional levels. As such, most planned SPS -related activities 
were postponed till further notice. However, since countries have started lifting some of the travels 
restrictions, certain technical and capacity buil ding activities were implemented at national and 
regional levels, following the COVID -19 protocols.  
2  PLANT HEALTH AND PLANT PROTECTION  
2.1  Continuation of training workshop on the "Use of the Harmonized Phytosanitary 
Inspection and Decision -Making Guide"  
2.1.  It is important to recall that this in -country training should be conducted in all 15 ECOWAS 
member States plus Chad and Mauritania. Following several coordination meetings, the plan has 
now been approved for the continuation of the training workshop on "The Use of the Harmonized 
Phytosanitary Inspection and Decision -Making Guide". This is an effort of USDA -FAS complemented  
by USAID West Africa Office dedicated to support West Africa NPPOs Taskforce to disseminate the 
harmonized Guide  in order to promote best practices in the conduct of plant quarantine operations 
in the sub -region. Training has now been planned to be conducted in Senegal (24 -27 May 2022), 
Niger (1 -4 June 2022), and Guinea Bissau (6-8 June 2022). The trained inspectors  would be 
capacitated to duplicate the training and also apply it in their daily operations. There would be:  
− presentations and discussions on the provisions of the Guide related to phytosanitary 
inspection procedures for import and export;  
− presentations of  ISPMs 05, 07, 11, 12, 23, 31 and 32; and  
− exercises with practical demonstrations of inspection, sampling, pest detection and 
identification and decision -making.  G/SPS/GEN/2019  
 
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  2.2.  Also, i t is important to recall the program me aims at: 
− training  plant quarantine inspectors in the countries on a better understanding for further 
use of the Guide;  
− simulati on exercises with practical demonstrations of phytosanitary inspection including 
pest detection and identification at the laboratory;  
− testing  the applicability of the Guide.  
2.2  Capacity building of plant quarantine inspectors and technicians on pest surveillance 
and inspection  
2.3.  Online training on inspection procedures was conducted for plant quarantine inspectors and 
technicians of the 15 ECOWAS member States plus Chad and Mauritan ia. Overall, 46 inspectors and 
technicians were trained on these online modules. Following a post -training evaluation, it was noted 
that these online  training modules were of interest and would add value in the future as the world 
is moving towards online and innovative methods of training.  
2.4.  There were challenges reported by the participants including access to internet connectivity, 
availability of computer s, downloading of certificate of participation among others. These challenges 
could be resolved throug h technical assistance programmes, on a case-by-case basis.  
2.3  West Africa NPPOs and Partners' Taskforce annual meeting and preparation of the 
Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM -16) meeting  
2.5.  The Regional West Africa NPPOs and Partners Taskforce meeting and preparation of the 
harmoniz ation of common position s for the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM -16) 
meeting was held from 7 -11 March 2022, Cotonou, Benin. Participants are NPPOs from 15 ECOWAS 
member States plus Chad and Mauritania as well ECOWA S's regional partners. The meeting has 
discussed matters of interest tabled for discussion at CPM -16 and a common position document 
was drafted . Among other matter s of interest  was the ECOWAS request to be recognized as a 
Regional Plant Protection Organiza tion ( RPPO) of the International Plant Protection Convention 
(IPPC). All  member countries have reiterated their commitment and engagement to this process. 
However, during the discussion at the plenary at CPM-16, the matter was postponed to allow further 
consultations with the Inter -African Phytosanitary Council (IAPSC) of the African Union Commission 
(AUC). A  consultation meeting will be held from 6 -8 June 2022 , hosted by the IPPC  secretariat at 
FAO headquaters, Rome, Italy.  
2.4  National training of technicians  in the establishment and monitoring of fruit fly 
surveillance system in Liberia, 16 -18 May 2022  
2.6.  A national training on the above thematic area is organized by the ECOWAS Commission 
through its funding support from the Agence Française de Développement (AF D) and European Union 
(EU) to build the capacity of the plant protection directorate technicians in this area. This is in line 
with the objective s of the Regional Innovative Fruit Fly Control System in West Africa (SyRIMAO) 
project.  
3  FOOD SAFETY  
3.1  Participati on in the regional and continental harmonization meeting to discuss and 
agree on common position s for the Draft Guideline for Developing Harmonized Food Safety 
Legislation for the CCAFRICA Region  
3.1.  A regional and continental meeting was organized from 9 to 1 1 May 2022, in Arusha, 
Tanzania  to discuss this draft document and harmonize common position s. Following discussions, 
a common position document was developed and member countries were invited to submit 
conference room document s (CRD) as well as comment through  the online commenting system 
(OCS) of the Codex Alimentarius commission for consideration during the plenary at the next 
CCAFRICA meeting when the matter would be discussed. Participants were from the EAC, ECOWAS 
and experts fr om CCAFRICA.  G/SPS/GEN/2019  
 
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  3.2  Organization of the 1st regional meeting for establishing an ECOWAS food safety 
regulatory convergence forum  
3.2.  The first regional meeting for establishing an ECOWAS food safety regulatory convergence 
forum is being planned to hold from 18 to 22 July 2022 in Abidjan, C ôte d'Ivoire. 
Expected  participants are Codex contact points, OIE focal points and other CVOs, National Plant 
Protection Organization s, WTO -SPS focal points, experts, private sector representatives, 
regional  organizations and part ners. 
3.3.  The key objectives are:  
− To review and validate the statutes of the forum/network of West Africa food safety actors ; 
− To review and validate the paper on the proposed Mechanism for Convergence of 
Food Regulatory Measures Amongst ECOWAS Countries ; 
− To de fine and agree on scope of the food safety coordination mechanism ; 
− To define common food safety priorities for the region ; 
− To agree on a roadmap for actions in relation to Codex and SPS work in the region ; 
− To revitalize the network of West Africa food safe ty actors . 
3.3  Participation in the virtual 15th Codex Committee on Contaminants meeting, 9 -24 May 
2022  
3.4.  There was coordination of matters related to this technical committee at regional and 
continental levels with common position s document drafted and particip ation in the ongoing virtual 
meeting.  
4  ANIMAL HEALTH AND ZOONOSES DISEASES  
4.1.  Regional training on GIS and risk assessment for the optimization of surveillance and control 
system s for transboundary animal diseases . 
4.2.  The ECOWAS Commission has organized an ECOWAS regional training on risk communication, 
disease emergency management on transboundary diseases (TADs) and zoonoses conducted from 
16 to 20 May 2022 in Dakar Senegal. Participants are the OIE focal points, Chief Veterinary Officers 
(CVOs) from the E COWAS member States, experts, regional organizations and partners.  
5  GENERAL CONCLUSION AND WAY FORWARD  
5.1.  The ECOWAS Commission takes this opportunity to thank all partners for their continuing 
support in advancing SPS -related issues in the ECOWAS and Sahel su b-region, and to call for more 
collaboration, technical assistance and support for future implementation.  
 
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