G/SPS/GEN/1474  
 
7 March 2016  
(16-1317)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
SADC REPORT TO THE WORLD TRADE ORGA NISATION SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY 
COMMITTEE MEETING ON SPS ACTIVITIES 
MEETING OF 15-17 MARCH 2016 
The following communication, received on 2 March 2016, is being circulated at the request of the 
Southern African Development Community (SADC). 
 
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  1  WORKSHOP ON FOOD SAFETY AWARENESS CREATION 
1.1.  SADC Secretariat facilitated a workshop on Food Safety Awareness creation for the private 
sector. This workshop was held in Lusaka, Zambia from 20–21 January 2016. The goal of the workshop was to broaden the understanding of the f ood safety issues by the private sector so as 
to enhance their participation in the development and implementation of food safety standards for 
improved safe regional and international trade in food. Participants included representatives of farmers associations, retailers associations, manufacturers association, consumers associations 
and farmers. The workshop was sponsored by Eu ropean Union (EU) through Regional Economic 
Integration Support (REIS) programme. 
1.2.  Participants and workshop facilitators shared  their national experiences in the implementation 
of food safety control systems. It was strongly ag reed that national food safety regulators should 
collaborate with the private sector in order to ensure that food safety standards are equally 
implemented for both domestic and international trade. 
2  STUDY ON IDENTIFICATION OF SANITARY MEASURE HINDERING REGIONAL TRADE 
2.1.  SADC Secretariat commissioned a regional  study in January 2016 to identify sanitary 
measures hindering trade in veterinary medicines,  vaccines, animals and animal products so that 
they can be harmonised. The study covered se ven member States name ly: Botswana, Malawi, 
Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. 
2.2.  The end of assignment report is being compiled by the consultants. 3  MEETING ON PREPARATION FOR THE 22
ND SESSION OF THE CODEX COMMITTEE ON 
FOOD IMPORT AND EXPORT INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION SYSTEMS (CCFICS) 
3.1.  SADC Secretariat with support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) facilitated a 
preparatory meeting for the 22nd Session of CCFICS. The meeting was held in Lusaka, Zambia 
from 26–29 January 2016. 
3.2.  The objectives of the meeting were to: impr ove the quality and effectiveness of participation 
of SADC member States in the meeting of the CCFICS; provide a forum for knowledge and experience sharing; and come up with a regional  position on the agenda items to be discussed 
during the CCFICS meeting through a common understanding of issues. G/SPS/GEN/1474 
 
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  4  SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY INFORM ATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TRAINING 
4.1.  SADC Secretariat facilitated a regional SPS Information Management Systems Training 
Workshop focusing on the national notification  authorities (NNA) and national enquiry points 
(NEPs) in Pretoria, South Africa from 16–19 Febr uary 2016. The goal of this workshop is to 
contribute to improved intra-regional and intern ational trade in food and agro-products through 
the implementation of the transparency provisions of WTO – SPS Agreement as mirrored in the SPS Annex to the SADC Protocol on Trade. 
4.2.  The workshop was sponsored through EU - REIS programme. 
4.3.  All SADC member States participated in the workshop with representation from food safety, 
animal and plant health NEPs and Ministry of Trade for NNAs. 
5  REGIONAL MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT FLIES 
5.1.  An FAO supported regional Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) involving three member 
States namely Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zi mbabwe on regional management of fruit flies 
came to a closure in January 2016. 
5.2.  An exit strategy to ensure sustainable management of fruit flies was developed during the 
closing workshop held in Lusaka, Zambia from 8–9 February 2016. 
6  TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROJECT ON FOOD CONTROL SYSTEMS 
6.1.  SADC Secretariat participated in a regional workshop sponsored by FAO. The workshop was 
held on 29 February to 1 March 2016 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The objective of the workshop was to improve multi-sectoral involvement in food safety control system and to improve collaboration between the national food control authorities and regional economic communities. 
6.2.  The workshop marked the closure of a regi onal TCP aimed at improving food control systems 
in three member States namely Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. 
6.3.  The TCP focused on strengthening the capacity  of National Codex Contact Points and National 
Codex Committees. 
For more information, contact: Chiluba Mwape at cmwape@sadc.int . 
 
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