G/SPS/GEN/1525  
 
17 October  2016 
(16-5593) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: Engli sh 
 
 INFORMATION FROM THE  AFRICAN UNION COMMIS SION  
The following communication, received on 14 October  2016, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of the African Union Commission  (AUC) . 
 
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1  AUC SPS RELATED -ACTIVITIES  
1.1.  The global con ference AU -EU Investing in a Food Secure Future was held in Noordwijk, The 
Netherlands, from 4 to 6 July, 2016. The conference was attende d by representative s from the 
AU and the EU governments, international organizations, businesses, investment groups, r esearch 
institutions and civil society. The conference provided a platform for delegates to share their 
experiences and expertise and to partner in efforts to sustainably transform agriculture to achieve 
food security, improved nutrition, and rural growth.  The conference was framed within the context 
in which Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union 's Agenda 2063 vision and priorities 
give a fresh chance to demonstrate political leadership, strengthen international food security 
policy and to pos ition the international political agenda for achieving zero hunger by 2030.  
1.2.  The Conference was built around a two -day Experts ' segment followed by a High Level 
Ministerial segment on the third day, giving political orientations to improve AU -EU agricultura l 
cooperation and build on previous international efforts and existing structures and focused on the 
following five themes of cooperation: 1) Climate -Smart Agriculture; 2) Reducing Food Losses and 
Waste; 3) Improving Market Access, regionally and internati onally; 4) Increasing Responsible 
Private Investment in Sustainable Agriculture; and 5) Scienc e & Innovation for Development.  
1.3.  The discussions on the thematic area , Improving Market Access  included the positions to: 
set up an Africa -EU multistakeholder agri cultural business plat form focused on market access; 
develop a dialogue to promote coherence between agricultural and trade policies, within a regional 
free trade area; and b uild private sector capacity in compliance with and enforcement of marketing 
and trading standards.  
1.4.  The 2nd Continental SPS Committee meeting for Africa was held from 17 -19 August 2016 in 
Accra, Ghana. The meeting was attended by members of the Continental SPS Committee from the 
Regional Economic Communities (RECS), international organi zations (FAO, WHO, FARA, ECA , etc.), 
and other d epartments of the African Union,  namely Trade and Industry and Social Affairs.  
1.5.  The ob jectives of the meeting were to:  
 Consolidate and sustain the momentum of operationalizing the Committee ; 
 Review the action points from previous meeting ; 
 Brief from members and organizations represented to enhance sharing of information ; 
 Identify areas of support ; and  
 Review working documents and provide input to the draft SPS Annex for the CFTA 
protocol . 
1.6.  The AUC convened the 1 2th Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program 
Partnership Platform (CAADP PP) , which  was held in Accra, Ghana under the theme Innovative 
financing and Renewed Partnerships to Accelerate the Implementation of CAADP.  G/SPS/GEN/1525  
 
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  1.7.  The platform meeting brought t ogether over 400 African and global leaders from international 
organisations, African Governments, including parliamentarians from AU member States, private 
agribusiness firms, farmers, NGOs and civil society organizations.  
1.8.  The 12th CAADP PP focused discus sions and consensus on specific actions to deliver on the 
2014 Malabo commitments for the next decade of CAADP in line with the thrust of the AU Agenda 
2063 and compliance to standards and SPS was considered a critical component of that effort.  
1.9.  The CAADP R esults Framework 2015 -2025 places emphasis on the role of the private sector 
as a central catalyst and driver of inclusive agribusiness development for sustainable agricultural 
growth. The Commission convened stakeholders to validate the Continental Agribu siness Strategy. 
The main objective of the Continental Agribusiness Strategy is to provide a framework for the 
promotion and the development of a robust and inclusive agribusiness sector, propelling 
agricultural value chains across the continent, creating jobs, creating wealth and retaining it along 
the chains. This strategy encourages an enabling policy and regulatory framework. It foresees an 
African agribusiness sector driven by private sector businesses and investments as well as public 
private ones. Th e strategic thrusts identified here will be the foundation for vibrant agribusiness 
and agricultural trade promotion in Africa, building on existing and new initiatives at continental, 
regional and national levels. This strategy will, therefore, improve co ordination, mobilization, 
advocacy, and communication among various actors in the agribusiness landscape in Africa 
(producing, processing, storing, mark eting, exporting, consuming). The  strategy is aimed at 
contribution toward the implementation of CAADP a nd the achievement of the Malabo 
Commitments.  
1.10.   The AUC is coordinating the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) processes including the 
development of technical documents for negotiations by African Union member States. In this 
regard a Draft SPS Annex has be en developed for the CFTA Protocol for consideration the AU Chief 
Trade Negotiators.  
1.11.   The E uropean Union in collaboration with the AUC organized the Better Training for Safer 
Foods (BTSF) training in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in September 2016 to enhance the ca pacities of 
food businesses to improve the food hygiene management.  
1.12.   The African Union Commission held the Second Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa – 
Partnership Platform Meeting (PACA – PPM) in Entebbe Uganda from 12  to 14  October 2016. 
The 2nd PACA PPM will bring together senior government officials from AU member States 
(government ministries from agriculture, trade and health), REC representatives, farmer 
organizations, consumer associations, large and small business sector representatives, civ il 
society, development partners, donor communities, th e African Union, and others to:  
 Track progress of implementing the specific actions identified at the 1st PPM;  
 Revisit other efforts of the last two years (2014 -2016) of implementing PACA activities a t 
continental, regional and national levels, in order to assess the attained successes and 
recorded challenges, for the development of a clear roadmap for the n ext two years of 
implementation;  
 Endorse planned approaches for implementing PACA Phase II, 2016 -2019; 
 Celebrate the numerous programs and activities being implemented by partners in 
managing aflatoxin, particularly the active leadership of key agents of change and aflatoxin 
mitigation champions active on the continent ; and  
 Strengthen instruments and  mechanisms for accountability, M&E and reporting for all PACA 
stakeholders . 
2  AU-IBAR SPS RELATED ACT IVITIES  
2.1  ANIMAL HEALTH  
2.1.  Meeting of African animal health experts to analyze and comment on OIE proposed changes 
to the Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health C odes held in July 2016 for the meeting of the 
OIE Code Commissions in September 2016.  
2.2.  Expected outcome: identification of animal health issues of common interest to African 
countries and proposition of coordinated positions.  G/SPS/GEN/1525  
 
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  2.3.  Participation of the African Un ion in the 84th General Assembly o f OIE Delegates from 
22 to 27 May 2016 in Paris, France. The African Union  has coordinated the strategic attendance of 
African OIE Delegates during this session.  
2.2  FOOD SAFETY  
2.4.  September 2016: AU -IBAR organized an African foo d safety expert 's consultation on residues 
of veterinary drugs in foods in Nairobi to examine items of the agenda items of the Codex 
Committee on residues of veterinary drugs  in foods for its 23rd session.  
2.5.  In October 2016, AU -IBAR organized an African food  safety expert 's consultation on food 
hygiene in Nairobi to examine items of the agenda items of the Codex Committee on food hygiene 
for its 48th session.  
2.6.  The meetings of food safety experts are to provide scientific advice to African Union member 
States in collaboration with the Coordinator of CCAfrica during their preparation of national 
positions. This is an effort of African Union to improve the effective participation of its MS in the 
work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
2.7.  AU-IBAR supported worksho ps on the strengthening and revitalisation of the National Codex 
Committees of Guinea -Bissau and Niger as well as the National SPS committees in Bissau and 
Niamey respectively.  
3  SPS ACTIVITIES  
3.1  AU-IBAR DISCUSSION FORUM ON SPS MATTERS IN PREPARATION FOR THE 6 7TH 
SESSION OF THE SPS COMMITTEE IN OCTOBER 2016  
3.1.  AU-IBAR is organizing since 1  October 2016 a discussion forum for African delegates to the 
SPS Committee in order to discuss issues on SPS to form the priority matters to raise during the 
67th session of the  SPS Committe e. A meeting will be held on 24  October 2016 in Geneva to 
consolidate the issues and to form positions on each of the issue.  
3.2  AU-IAPSC SPS RELATED ACTIVITIES  
3.2.  IAPSC has developed the annual program within the context of the phytosanitary capacit y 
building strategy for Africa and the recommendations from its Steering Committees and General 
Assembly. IAPSC programs were are aligned to the strategy and the objectives of Rural Economy 
and Agriculture Department of the African Union and the recommenda tions of SC & GA. Their main 
mandate is to facilitate compliance with Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Standards to address 
challenges African countries face in the agricultural trade.  
3.3.  In April 2016 AU -IAPSC, in collaboration with held a meeting in April 2 016 in Addis Ababa  to 
get common position for the CPM meeting in FAO (Rome ) and 12 countries participated in the 
meeting. The output was shared with all contracting countries in IPPC to get one  comm on position 
during CPM meeting.  
3.4.  The second meeting was hel d in Addis Ababa from 13 -16 September 2016 to harmonize  the 
ISPM draft and attended by 22 countries in collaboration with the FAO. The  recommendations from 
the meeting have been shared with the other countries.  
 
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