G/SPS/GEN/1961  
 
14 October  2021 
(21-7803) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
SADC SECRETARIAT REPORT  ON SPS ACTIVITIES  
SADC REPORT TO THE WTO  COMMITTEE ON  SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES  
The follow ing communication, received on 12 October 2021, is being circulated at the request of the  
secretariat of the  Southern African Development Community  (SADC).  
 
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1  BACKGROUND  
1.1.  The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region consists of 16 member States 
namely Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswat ini, Lesotho , 
Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique , Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia  
and Zimbabwe. The region has a population of 345 million people and therefore has a high 
responsibility to meet the international sustainable development goals for the betterment of the lives 
of its citizens  through safe  intra-SADC and international trade through the application of relevant  
international standards.  
1.2.  Plant pests and animal diseases can inadvertently be transported along with  traded  
commodities thereby threatening the agricultural production and environment of the importing 
country. Food and feed may be contaminated with pesticide residues or other chemical toxins. To 
reduce these risks without unduly restricting regional or international trade in food and agro -
products, the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Annex to the Southern African Develo pment 
Community (SADC) Protocol on Trade allows SADC member States to adopt harmoni zed or 
scientifically justified SPS measures. This  is in line with the implementation of the requirements of 
the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on the Application of SPS Measures , the 
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), the World Organisation  for Animal Health (OIE) 
and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC).  
2  UPDATES ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SPS ANNEX TO THE SADC PROTOCOL ON 
TRADE  
2.1  Harmoni zation  
2.1.  On 29 September 2021, the SADC secretariat collaborated with the SADC Business and GIZ - 
CESARE in facilitating a virtual consultative meeting to discuss differences on health attestation 
requirements in SADC member States. The purpose of the meeting was t o enable seamless 
movement of food commodities across borders and avoid unnecessary costs incurred due to the 
variations in market requirements as required by the health attestation certificates. The meeting 
was attended by public and private sector organi zations and business entities involved in 
cross-border food trade.  
2.2.  On 26 August 2021, the SADC secretariat and member States participated in a virtual capacity 
building meeting organised by COLEACP for the African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) countries' Nationa l 
Plant Protection Organi zations (NPPOs). This was in line with the COLEACP mission of developing 
inclusive, sustainable trade in fruits and vegetables including other food products focusing on trade 
amongst ACP countries and on their trade with the European Union  (EU). G/SPS/GEN/1961  
 
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  2.3.  The SADC secretariat and member States participated in the virtual African Union (AU) 
Technical Validation Meetings for the draft Continental Plant Health Strategy (PHSA) and Continental 
Food Safety Strategy for Africa held on 31 Augus t and 17 September 2021 respectively. The 
meetings were organi sed by the African Union Commission (AU), Department of Agriculture Rural 
Development Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (DARBE).  
2.4.  These continental strategies will have several medium to long-term outcomes such as the 
operation of an efficient, science -based food regulatory environment; an enhanced compliance 
leading to delivery of safer agri -food value chains across the continent; a reduction in the foodborne 
disease burden and plant heal th threats in Africa; as well as an improved competitiveness of Africa's 
plant and food commodities for increased intra -African and global trade.  
3  UPDATES ON EU SUPPORTED TRADE FACILITATION PROGRAMMES  
3.1  The SADC -EU Trade Facilitation Programme  (TFP)  
3.1.  The Trade  Facilitation Programme (TFP) has focused on ensuring that the SADC Protocols on 
Trade and Trade in Services are effectively implemented and that the implementation of the EU - 
SADC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is adequately supported. The TFP also  covers regional 
integration matters in the areas of TBT and SPS measures as well as customs technical assistance 
support.  
3.2.  During the period under review, the programme has launched several studies that are aimed 
at building a good understanding of the gap s that exist in the industriali sation and trade frameworks 
and systems of the region so that they may be addressed. One study sought to find the key 
standards, technical regulations, sanitary and phytosanitary measures and their associated 
conformity asses sment procedures along the identified value -chain. These include grains – wheat 
and rice; oil seeds and legumes – soya beans, cotton and sunflower; livestock – poultry. 
These  categories and products were selected based on the fact that SADC region was not producing 
and trading in enough of them.  
3.3.  The other study , aimed at the development of a framework for mutual recognition of certificates 
of compliance issued by the competent national authorities across SADC member States , is 
underway. This framework will specify typical terms and conditions under which each SADC  member 
State will, guided by international principles, accept certificates of compliance issued by the 
competent authority of the trading partner. It is envisaged that this will reduce trade costs through 
eliminating the need for multiple testing, inspection and certification of food and feed commodities 
in the exporting member State and re -testing in the importing member State. Over and above the 
resolution of case -by-case import and export issues,  this framework will also serve to impart the 
necessary confidence and transparency that member States should have in each other's national 
SPS systems.  
3.4.  The COVID -19 pandemic has also had an immense influence on the way that SPS issues are 
handled at both the national and regional levels. For a science that is highly dependent on the 
physical, there  is no doubt that the SPS field has to develop the means of achieving regional SPS 
object ives by remote means. This kind of adaptation will not be achieved overnight and will need a 
lot of collaboration amongst member States and between regional economic communities. 
The SADC  region would strongly welcome such opportunities centrally coordinated in the global 
SPS sphere.  
Report by: Mr. Chiluba Mwape  
SADC Key Expert on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  
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