G/SPS/GEN/2209  
 
18 March 2024 
(24-2372) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
INFORMATION ON SPS ACTIVITIES OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE AFRICAN UNION  
The following communication, received on 17 March 2024, is being circulated at the request of the 
African Union . 
 
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1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  The African Union Commission Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, 
and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) is responsible for coordinating continent -wide initiatives in 
agriculture, fisheries, food and nutrition security, strengthening the resilience of African food 
production systems, facilitating harmonization of agricultural and knowledge support systems 
policies, mobilizing resources to address imp lementation of priority issues in the continent and 
advocacy for implementation of priority programmes in Africa.  
2  SPS ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN FROM SEPTEMBER 2023 TO DECEMBER 202 3 
2.1  AU SPS Coordination Forum  
2.1.  The African Union SPS Coordination Forum convened its  second meeting on 19-20 September 
2023 in Accra, Ghana. The forum was instrumental in guiding the integration of SPS  issues into the 
Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and other AU initiatives. 
Attendees included AU institution s, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and Development 
Partners, focusing on streamlining SPS activities across the continent.  
2.2  Learning event on Using Good Regulatory Practice to Facilitate Safe Trade in Africa, 
Accra, Ghana, 21 -22 September 2023  
2.2.  The African Union Commission, in collaboration with the African Continental Free Trade Area 
(AfCFTA) secretariat , the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), and the United States 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), hosted a learning event from 21 t o 22 September 202 3 in Accra, 
Ghana on "Using Good Regulatory Practices to Facilitate Safe Trade in Africa ". The event brought 
together key stakeholders and experts to explore and discuss best practices in regulatory processes 
that enhance trade safety acr oss the continent. The workshop aimed to support the implementation 
of effective, science -based regulatory measures that safeguard health and promote the smooth flow 
of trade within the African Union and beyond. This initiative underscored the commitment o f the 
African Union and its partners to leveraging regulatory excellence as a foundation for achieving 
sustainable economic growth and food security in Africa.  
2.3  Regional SPS Coordination Mechanisms Strengthened  
2.3.  The African Union Commission collaborated with  EAC, SADC and COMESA to strengthen their 
respective regional SPS coordination mechanisms with the objective to enhance regional 
collaboration and compliance, and towards an integrated approach to managing sanitary and 
phytosanitary measures across the con tinent.  G/SPS/GEN/2209  
 
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  (i) Regional SPS coordination mechanism for East African Community held in Nairobi from 17  to 
18 August 2023 ; 
(ii) Southern African Development Community (SADC) - Food Safety Technical Committee 
(FSTC) held from 10 to 12 October 2023 in Lusaka, Zambia ; 
(iii) Regional SPS coordination mechanism for Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, 
and the 12th SPS sub -Committee meetings held from 27 November to 1 December 2023 in 
Nairobi, Kenya to discuss regional SPS matters ; 
(iv) SADC Livestock Technical Committee meetin g to discuss transboundary Animal Diseases, 
feed and fodder, and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Ce ntenary celebrations 
was held on 12 to 14 December 2023 in Lusaka, Zambia.  
2.4  SPS Index for Africa  
2.4.  The African Union has mainstreamed SPS into the C omprehensive African Agricultural 
Development Programme (CAADP) Biennial Review Report through the Africa SPS Index. 
The SPS Index is as a tool to monitor progress in performance of SPS systems in Africa. For the first 
time, member States reported on the p erformance of their SPS systems during the 5th CAADP 
Biennial Review Cycle in 2023.  
2.5  Phytosanitary activities  
2.5.1   Harmonization of Phytosanitary regulations for market access  
2.5.  A training on the implementation of phytosanitary measures for market access was held from 
12 to 14 June 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya. During the workshop, member States developed a matrix of 
the different International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) that are being 
implemented, those that are not being implemented and the challenges  encountered.  
2.6.  Similarly, a workshop on the harmonization of phytosanitary regulations for priority 
commodities was held from 30 May 30 to 2 June 2023 in Accra, Ghana. The objective of the workshop 
was to enhance harmonization of phytosanitary regulations for priority commodities in order to 
strengthen the effectiveness of regulatory interventions, improve compliance with international 
standards and the SPS Agreement, and ensure plant health protection while facilitating trade.  
2.6  Food Safety activ ities 
2.6.1   Awareness and Training on Food Safety  
2.7.  The African Union Commission organized a training program focused on foodborne disease 
surveillance and the management of food safety events in Mahe, Seychelles, from the 12 to 
15 December 202 3. The participants included National Food Safety Authorities and Competent 
Authorities from across African Union member States. This training aimed to enhance the 
competencies of member States in effective foodborne disease surveillance, outbreak investigations, 
and response  strategies. Key recommendation s from the training  include  the need to revise current 
guidelines for foodborne disease surveillance and support member States to establish integrated 
foodborne disease surveillance systems. The Commission also organized a tr aining on risk -based 
food inspection from 18 to 20 December 2023.  
2.6.2   Participation in the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission  
2.8.  The Commission coordinated member States to present African Positions and also supported 
participation in the 46th Session of t he Codex Alimentarius Commission held in Rome, Italy, 
December 2023.  
2.7  Animal health  
2.7.1   Development of Continental Inspection Guidelines  
2.9.  The African Union Commission held an expert workshop on 20-23 June 2023 in Naivasha, 
Kenya, to develop continental inspectio n guidelines for animals and animal products. This initiative 
aimed to facilitate regional collaboration and knowledge exchange among professionals in animal G/SPS/GEN/2209  
 
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  health inspection, producing a draft of the Sanitary Inspection Guidelines for the African Contine ntal 
Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).  
2.7.2   Training on Import Risk Analysis and Quarantine Procedures for trade in animals 
and animal products  
2.10.  The African Union Commission organized a training session on Import Risk Analysis based on 
WOAH standards from 19 to 21 July 2023 in Kampala, Uganda. This training enhanced the 
competence of member States in conducting transparent, objective, and defensible risk analyses for 
international animal trade. Similarly, the Commission organized a benchmarking event to enhance 
knowledge  on the application of certification, inspection, and quarantine principles and procedures 
for African Union member States from ECOWAS and ECCAS regions.  
2.8  Notable Upcoming SPS Activities  
− 16th Pan African Chief Veterinary Officers meeting from 13 to 15 May 2024 ; 
− Training on HACCP for MSMEs in June 2024 ; 
− African Union SPS Coordination Forum meeting scheduled for May 2024 ; 
− Training of National SPS Committees scheduled for April 2024 ; 
− Stocktaking and experience sharing session on the implementation of the L ivestock 
Development Strategy for Africa scheduled for April 2024 . 
2.11.  The African Union Commission extends its gratitude to the European Union, the United States 
Department of Agriculture, the Standards and Trade Development Facility, and other Development 
Partners for their invaluable support to the SPS activities undertaken by the African  Union 
Commission, its member States, and Regional Economic Communities. This  collaboration plays a 
crucial role in strengthening our collective efforts to enhance food safe ty, plant, and animal health 
across the continent, contributing significantly to the well -being and prosperity of our communities.  
 
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