G/SPS/GEN/1503  
 
27 June 2016  
(16-3443)  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 30 JUNE - 1 JULY 2016 
The following communication, received on 24 June 2016, is being circulated at the request of the 
Southern African Development Community (SADC). 
 
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  1  STRENGTHENING OF REGIONAL SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY CAPACITY 
1.1.  SADC Secretariat participated in the Third Regional Project Technical Committee meeting of 
the African Solidarity Trust Fund (ASTF) project held in Swakopmund, Namibia from 30 to 31 May 2016. The project is being implemented through th e Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Sub-
Regional Office based in Harare, Zimbabwe. This meeting was attended by National Project 
Coordinators and FAO Focal Point Officers from seven participating member States namely: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The project 
stakeholders in attendance included FAO Sub - Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management 
Office for Southern Africa (FAO REOSA), CAB In ternational (CABI), Center for Coordination of 
Agriculture Research and Development in Southern Africa (CCARDESA) and SADC. The objective of the meeting was to review the project implemen tation progress, consider and approve annual 
work plans and address project implementation chal lenges faced by member States. The project is 
aimed at strengthening regional sanitary and ph ytosanitary capacity in order to manage the 
threats of food safety hazards, animal diseases  and plant pests for enhanced food security and 
regional trade. This will be achieved through e ffective implementation of the provisions of the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures. 
1.2.  SADC Secretariat facilitated a regional work shop on development of Implementation Plans for 
the SADC Regional SPS Strategies that were developed with support from USAID – Southern Africa Trade Hub (SATH). The strategies are aimed at strengthening the capacity of member States to effectively manage sanitary and phytosanitary risks through implementing SPS measures that are 
consistent with international standards and best practices. These strategies apply to all measures 
that may, directly or indirectly, affect regional trade in food and agro-products. The workshop was held in Pretoria, South Africa from 24 to 27 May 2016. 
1.3.  SADC Secretariat participated in a consultative meeting between African Regional 
Standardisation Organisation (ARSO) and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) held in Nairobi, Kenya in April 2016. The meeting was attended by representatives from Secretariats of 
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC), 
Economic Community of West African Stat es (ECOWAS), SADC and SADC Committee on 
Standardisation (SADCSTAN). The objective of the meeting was to contribute towards establishment of Africa's Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) through cooperation of RECs and 
ARSO on standards and quality infrastructure related issues in order deliver harmonized standards, 
technical regulations and conformity assessment regimes. G/SPS/GEN/1503 
 
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  2  WORKSHOP ON HARMONISATION OF PESTICIDES REGULATIONS 
2.1.  SADC Secretariat facilitated a workshop fo r Pesticides Regulators from the SADC member 
States to review the Regional Guidelines for Regulation of Plant Protection Products in the SADC member States. This workshop was held in Pretoria, South Africa from 15 to 16 June 2016. The 
objective of the review process was to align the Regional Guidelines with the revised WHO/FAO 
International Code of Conduct for Management of Pesticides and also to include biopesticides and biocides. The workshop was sponsored by European Union (EU) through the Regional Economic 
Integration Support (REIS) programme. 
For more information, please contact: Mr Chiluba Mwape – Programme Officer, Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary at cmwape@sadc.int . 
 
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