G/SPS/GEN/1599  
 
7 February  2018 
(18-0845) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
OUTLOOK ON ECOWAS IM PLEMENTED SANITARY A ND PHYTOSANITARY ACT IVITIES 
DURING THE PERIOD OF  NOVEMBER 2017 - FEBRUARY 2018  
COMMUNICATION FR OM ECOWAS -USAID SENIOR SANITAR Y 
AND PHYTOSANITARY (SPS)  STANDARDS ADVISOR  
The followi ng communication, received on 5  February  2018, 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 peop le throughout the region. In standards, a USAID/West 
Africa: Cost Reimbursement Implementation Letter no 2 was signed between CILSS and 
USAID/West Africa. It is through this agreement focus will be on Sanitary and  Phytosanitary (SPS) 
standards.  
1.2.  With refere nce to the approved 2017 work plan and in view of improving and strengthening 
SPS activities in the ECOWAS region the following activities were implemented during the period of 
November 2017 - February 2018  
2  PLANT HEALTH AND PLA NT PROTECTION  
2.1.  Fall armyworm ( Spodoptera frugiperda , FAW) emerged as a major threat to food security of 
smallholder farmers especially affecting the maize crops in more than 30 countries in Africa. 
In southern Africa, FAW has been reported in almost all countries, except Lesotho and the  island 
states (Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles). FAW is particularly damaging to maize, the main 
food security and livelihood crop to several million people in the region. The pest which was first 
observed in the 2016 -2017 is forecasted to continue i n the 20 17-2018 crop season and beyond.  
2.2.  A regional meeting was held from 6 -7 June 2017 to develop a West Africa (ECOWAS) 
comprehensive plant pest and disease prevention, surveillance and mitigation framework that was 
validated by all stakeholders, and with  the support of USDA -APHIS, bureau of Dakar, Senegal, a 
follow up regional meeting was held from 7 -8 August 2017 to establish a Regional Taskforce for 
Surveillance, Prevention and Control of Crop Pests. The composition, organigramme, objectives 
and mission s of the regional Taskforce (RTAF)  are listed in G/SPS/GEN/1574 . 
2.3.  In view of preparing countries to better respond to the invasion of FAW in the coming 
agricultur al season, it was important to generate awareness and empower the farming 
communities with knowledge of the pest, scouting for the pest as well as its natural enemies, 
understanding the right stages of pest control, and implementing sustainable agro -ecological 
management of the pest, le arning from the experiences of the United States and Brazil in tackling 
the FAW and adapting these practices/protocols to the African agro -ecologies and cropping 
systems landscapes. At the same time, it is important to introduce, validate and deploy best -bet 
technological interventions/management practices for effective control of FAW in Africa, especially 
for the benefit of low -resource farming communities. The West Africa Training -of-Trainers and G/SPS/GEN/ 1599 
 
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  Awareness Generation Workshop on FAW Pest Management was he ld in Cotonou, Benin, 
13-16 February 2018.  
2.4.  The goal was to build technical capacity in the West Africa region in IPM -based FAW 
management through a regional training of NARS, NPPOs, Senior Extension Advisers of all 
ECOWAS member States , FTF implementing pa rtners, and technical staff of regional partn ers. 
2.1  First West Africa National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPO ) and Partners 
Taskforce meeting to address regional priorities and review IPPC instruments including 
the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures, IITA -Benin, 15 -16 February  2018  
2.5.  Furthermore, the Regional NPPOs and Partners Taskforce Task Force for Surveillan ce, 
Prevention and Control of Plant Pests was established during the meeting held from 7-8 August 
2017 in Ouagadougou – Burkina Faso, supported by APHIS, following the recommendations of 
both USDA -APHIS workshop on "Surveillance, Diagnostic Capacities and Reporting of Plant Pests in 
West Africa" held from 9-11 August 2016 in Abidjan and the joint ECOWAS/WAEMU/USAID 
meeting on "Development of the Regional Framework for the Prevention, Surveillance and 
Mitigation of Pests and Plant Diseases" held from 5-7 June 2017 in Accra – Ghana. Such initiative s 
stem from countries ' weak capacities to tackle the negative impact of harmful transboundary plant 
pests in crop production, population livelihood and trade and the need for countries to join efforts 
and harmonize s trategies. This is evidenced by the numerous interceptions recorded at foreign 
borders causing significant economic losses for farmers and countries. The meeting aims to review 
regional priorities, develop a priority action plan for 2018 -2019 and agree on a harmonized 
position for the preparation of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM -13) meeting 
planned from 16-20 April 2018 in Rome -Italy. 
2.6.  Participants were NPPO s from all 15 ECOWAS member States, WAEMU, technical and 
financial partners including USAID, USDA, APHIS, FAO, IITA, CIMMYT.  
3  FOOD SAFETY AND CAPA CITY BUILDING  
3.1  First Regional Private Sector Information/Awareness -raising Meeting on Sanitary 
and Phytosanitary Standards and Regulations and their Involvement in SPS Activities  
3.1.  From 22 to 24 Novem ber 2017, the ECOWAS Commision held, with the support of USAID, in 
Abidjan, the first regional meeting on private sector capacity building in this domain. This meeting 
was held within the context of the imp lementation of the USAID -ECOWAS  progamme on Sanita ry 
and Phytosanitary measures (SPS).  
3.2.  The meeting objectives were : i) to strengthen the capacities of private sector actors and 
consumer associations on SPS standards;  ii) to share successful experiences i n implementing SPS 
requirements;  iii) to review and document challenges of private sector companies with regard to 
SPS issues in the relevant priority sectors ; and iv) identify common areas of cooperation between 
the private sector and the ECOWAS Commission to help improve compliance with SPS 
requirements. Participants were all 15 ECOWAS member States representatives, consumer 
associations, and resource persons.  
3.3.  Key recommendations addressed to ECOWAS Commission are as follows:  
a. Create an information and communication platform for the private sector on SPS 
standards;  
b. Train/regularly strengthen the capacities of private sector actors on SPS agreements;  
c. Mobilise private sector financing to contribute to the functioning of SPS committees and 
international SPS actions;  
d. Encourage the formulation of common positions  on SPS measures at the national, regional 
and continental level with the effective participation of the private sector;  
e. Strengthen the role/participation of the private sector in the functioning of national SPS 
committees;  
f. Organise a regional meeting brin ging together private and public actors (SPS, Codex, IPPC, 
OIE Contact Points);  
g. Facilitate knowledge sharing on good practices;  G/SPS/GEN/1599  
 
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  h. Conduct a study on the economic impact of the application of SPS standards on regional 
trade (releases);  
i. Develop/promote the est ablishment of regional standards and facilitate their application;  
j. Support laboratories in the certification process;  
k. Raise awareness of the importance of SPS measures;  and 
l. Develop a regional SPS strategy.  
3.2  Training workshop on aflatoxin sampling protocols in West Africa, Dakar, Senegal, 
12-13 December 2017  
3.4.  Sampling and testing are major components in identifying aflatoxins and determining the 
levels. Proper sampling and testing methodologies should be used in order to minimize the impact 
of aflatoxins on th e health of the people a s well as trade. Sampling is the most important step that 
contributes to the variability of analyses, due to the non -homogenous nature of aflatoxin 
distribution in foods and feed. Statistically sound sampling protocols are critical for establishing 
national aflatoxin monitoring program mes for the purpose of food  safety regulatory enforcement. 
If samples are not properly attained, compliant food/feed may erroneously be condemned and 
destroyed or non -compliant food/feed may be passed f or human consumption and subsequently 
rejected (when importing countries  identify them as uncompliant).  
3.5.  This workshop was to ad dress the following challenges:  
 The unacceptably high rejection of certificates, by importing countries;  
 The present situation where multiple ( importing & exporting countries ) testings are 
practiced for an export consignment;  
 The current practice of subjecting export consignments to more than one laboratories to 
increase reliability of analysis results; and  
 The use of non -harmonis ed sampling and analysis protocols across countries.  
3.6.  The objectives were : i) to present aflatoxin sampling protocols for maize and groundnuts that 
were first developed by NC State University for COMESA; ii) to train participants on the sampling 
protocols through a hands -on demonstration; iii) to initiate discussions on the protoc ols, 
harmonized maximum limits , policies and regulatory frameworks; and iv) to initiate discussion on 
the ECOWAS Mutual Recognition Framework.  
3.7.  Participants were laboratory technicians, regulator from all 15 ECOWAS member States, 
Chad, AUC, USAID, USDA, PAC A, CILSS/CHAD, CORAF, COMESA, Resource Persons, Media.  
3.8.  The following recommendations were made to the ECOWAS Commission and follo w up 
actions will be conducted:  
a. ECOWAS Commission to support the establishment and or strengthening of laboratories for 
aflatox in testing in the member States ; 
b. ECOWAS member States to adopt and implementation international testing standards in 
the absence of national and regional stand ards; 
c. To request that member States conduct risk assessment as a prelude to the de velopment 
of regional standards;  
d. Capacity development at all levels of the agricultural value chain;  
e. Development partners were requested to provide technical and financial support to the 
ECOWAS Commission and the member States with regards to a flatoxin control and 
mitiga tion; 
f. Development partners should support technology development and diss emination for 
aflatoxin control; and  
g. ECOWAS and development partners to address aflatoxin control and mitigation within the 
context of climate change in the region.  
3.9.  As key follow up a ction, a concept note was developed on Harmonizing Achievable Maximum 
Limits for Aflatoxin in Groundnuts in ECOWAS region. This concept note waiting approval and 
implementat ion, expected to start in 2018.  G/SPS/GEN/ 1599 
 
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  4  ATTENDANCE AT R EGIONAL, INTERNATION AL SPS FORA  
4.1.  The ECOWAS Commission were represented at regional and in ternational meetings including:  
 Participation to the workshop on tr ansparency organized by the WTO SPS Committee from 
30-31 October 2017 in Geneva as well as to the WTO  SPS Committee meeting from 
1-3 November 2017 ; 
 Participation to the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) meeting held from 
13-17 November 2017 in Ch icago, United States of America;  
 Participation to first ECOWAS Quality Infrastructure Forum, held in Dakar, Senegal, 
29 January – 1 February 2018;  and 
 Participation to international workshop on tackling invasive species in Africa, ICIPE, 
Nairobi, 21 -22 February 2018.  
5  CONCLUSION AND WAY F ORWARD  
5.1.  The ECOWAS Commission take this opportunity to thank USAID Regional office, West Africa, 
USDA, USDA -APHIS and all partners and donors for their support in advancing SPS issues in the 
ECOWAS region and beyond , and  call for more collaboration, support for the implementation of 
actions to better address SPS matters in the region.  
 
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