G/SPS/GEN/2141  
 
12 July 2 023 
(23-4705) Page: 1/2 
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 12 July 2023, 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 im plementation of priority issues in the continent and 
advocacy for implementation of priority programmes in Africa.  
2  SPS ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN IN 202 3 
2.1.  The Commission convened the AU SPS Coordination Forum in March 2023. The Forum promotes 
mainstreaming and i mplementation of SPS issues into CAADP implementation, AU trade -related, 
health and environmental initiatives and frameworks. The Forum is composed of AU institutions 
working on SPS issues, regional economic communities and development partners.  
2.2.  An SPS learning event to promote harmonized SPS policies and capacities in Africa was 
organized from 30 to 31 March 2023 by AKADMEMIYA2063, Texas A&M University, USDA and the 
African Union Commission.  
2.3.  The African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU -BAR) organized the 15th Pan 
African Chief Veterinary Officers meeting in May 2023, Africa Common Positions on draft WOAH 
chapters were developed and presented during the 90th General Session of the WOAH World 
Assembly of Delegates in May 2023.  
2.4.  Convened the African Union member States National Plant Protection Organizations meeting in 
February 2023 to develop African Positions on draft International Standards for Phytosanitary 
Measures and other plant health related topics. Africa Common position s were developed and 
presented during the 17th Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM -17) in 
March  2023.  
2.5.  The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat conducted a series of training 
and awareness workshops on the AfCFTA non -tariff barrier (NTB) Online Mechanism/ Tool in January 
and March in Togo, Gabon and Cameroon with various stakeholders including national NTB Focal 
Points, customs officials, the private sector among others. The online Tool is a platform available for 
Economic Operators to register a complaint regarding a trade barrier encountered along a trade 
corridor. The training enhanced the capacities of stakeholders to identify, report, monitor and 
facilitate the elimination of NTBs.  
2.6.  The Commission has commenced data collection on the Africa SPS Index as part of reporting 
performance of SPS systems in Africa and reporting within the 5th CAADP Biennial Review . G/SPS/GEN/2141  
 
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  2.7.  Notable upcoming SPS activities : 
− AU SPS Coordination Forum, 19 -20 September 2023, Accra, Ghana ; 
− Learning e vent on Using Good Regulatory Practice to Facilitate Safe Trade in Africa, Accra, 
Ghana, 21 -22 September 2023 organized by African Union Commission, AfCFTA secretariat, 
STDF and USDA . 
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