G/SPS/N/ARE/149  
 
5 June 2018  
(18-3427) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED ARAB EMIRATES  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE)  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable): All kinds of liv e ruminants and its by -products , untreated ruminants 
meat and its products  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Letsemeng, South Africa  
5. Title of the notified document: United Arab Emir ates is imposing a temporary ban on 
the importation of all kinds of live ruminants (sheep, goats, cows, buffaloes, camels and 
deer) and their untreated products and by -product s from South Africa, in addition to a ban 
on the importation of ruminant s' meat a nd its meat products from Letsemeng in South 
Africa . Language(s): Arabic.  Number of pages: 2 
6. Description of content: Following the notification published by the World Organization 
for Animal Health (OIE) on 16 May 2018 regarding the outbreak of Rift Valley fever virus in 
Letsemeng in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates is applying a precautionary sanitary 
measure to prevent the risk of introducing the Rift Valley fever virus through the imports 
of all kinds of live ruminants and their untreate d products from South Africa. These 
measures include:  
1. Temporary ban on the importation of all kinds of live ruminants and their untreated 
by-products, originating from South Africa;  
2. Temporary ban on ruminant s' meat and its untreated products from Letsemeng  in 
South Africa, except heat -treated products;  
3. Consignments of ruminants ' meat shipped from Lets emeng in South Africa before 
30 March 2018 were permitted.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[X] protect h umans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action: There is a risk of 
contamination from importing live ruminants and their products from South Africa , which is 
affected with the Rift Valley fever virus. This follows the notification of an outbreak of Rift 
Valley fever virus in Letsemeng in South Africa on 16 May 2018. These applied measures 
are in compliance with Article 8.15.9, Article 8.15.10 a nd Article 8.15.11, Chapter 8.15 of 
the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code.  G/SPS/N/ARE/ 149 
 
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  9. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number  of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : Chapter 8.15 of the World Organization 
for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code  
[ ] Interna tional Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable): 
27 May 2018  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [X] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:  
Ministry of Climate Change and Environment  
Eng. Majd Mohamed Alherbawi  
Director of Food Safety Department  
P.O. Box 1509  
United Arab Emirates - Dubai  
Tel: +(971 4) 214 8472  
Fax: +(971 4) 265 5822  
Mobile: +(971 50) 6260516  
E-mail: mmalherbawi@moccae.gov.ae  
Website: http://www.moccae.gov.ae  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:  
Ministry of Climate Change and Environment  
Eng. Ahlam Almannaei  
Agricultural Engineer in Food Safety Department  
SPS Enquiry Point 
P.O. Box 1509  
United Arab Emirates - Dubai  
Tel: +(971 4) 214 8495  
Fax: +(971 4) 265 5822  
Mobile: +(971 50) 5903056  
E-mail: aaalmannaei@moccae.gov.ae  
Website: http://www.moccae.gov.ae