G/SPS/GEN/1759  
 
28 February 2020  
(20-1550) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
OUTLOOK ON ECOWAS IM PLEMENTED SANITARY A ND PHYTOSANITARY ACT IVITIES 
DURING THE PERIOD OF  DECEMBER 2019 – MARCH 2020  
COMMUNICATION FROM E COWAS -USAID SENIOR S ANITARY  
AND PHYTOSANITARY ( SPS) STANDARDS ADVISOR  
The following communication, received on 28 February 2020,  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 C ommunity 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 people throughout the regi on. 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.  
2   PLANT HEALTH  AND PLANT PROTECTI ON 
2.1.  The recent introduction of the fall armyworm (FAW) as well as the discovery of the new alien 
invasive pest identified in West Africa and its growing threat to agriculture and food security have 
caused much concern in about 44 countries in the sub -Sahara n region including 15 West African 
countries. The FAW is a crop-destroying worm and can cause high damage to maize, rice, sorghum, 
vegetables. These attributes have made the control of FAW a challenging task. There have been 
efforts to sensitize, build cap acity for the pest identification, knowledges sharing and a study tour. 
Overall, development of management  options has mobilized international experts and the national 
capacities of affected countries and raised general attention to caterpillar attacks on various crops. 
Also, a regional taskforce of NPPOs and partners was established for better regional coordination of 
efforts in the area of plants health and participation in the international standards setting processes, 
in this case IPPC.  
2.1   3rd West Afric a NPPO & Partners Taskforce  Annual Meeting & Validation Workshop 
of the "Harmonized Phytosanitary Inspection and Decision -Making Guides". 
9-13 December  2019, Dakar, Senegal.  
2.2.  The meeting  aimed to:  
− review West Africa NPPO  & Partners Taskforce Action Plan Progresses and challenges, address 
pending priorities, identify new key activities and validate a work plan for 2020 and beyond  
− review and validate the Harmonized "Phytosanitary Inspection and Decision -Making Guides ". 
2.1.1  Recommendations  
2.3.  After fruitful  discussions, participants agreed upon the following key recommendations:  G/SPS/GEN/1759  
 
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  To the regional NPPO Taskforce : 
− To organize the pre -preparation meeting of the CPM15 in March 2020  
− To organize the next annual meeting in December 20 20  
− To ensure that the representation of NPPOs at both meeting s be consistent . 
 
To countries : 
As for the celebration of the International Year of Plant Health in 2020 (IYPH 2020):  
− To develop a budgeted national action plan emphasizing awareness and advocacy 
towards authorities for adequate support for NPPOs and send copy to the ECOWAS 
Commission, before February 15, 2020;  
− To provide the ECOWAS Commission with the lists of training a nd other activities 
conducted during 2019 by December 20, 2019;  
− To develop and publish the national lists of Quarantine Pests by December 2020;  
− To send to the IPPC secretariat their requesting letters for migrating to the e -Phyto 
platform by 30 December 2019.  
 
Operationalize the "Phytosanitary inspection and decision -making guide ": 
− To test the validated inspection guide in the field for feedback in the 15 -ECOWAS 
countries ; 
− To edit the validated document, translated into Portuguese as well ;  
− To organiz e trainings of border inspectors on the use of the validated harmonized 
guide.  
 
To ECOWAS and technical and financial partners  
− To engage the internal official process for the recognition of the Taskforce as the 
Phytosanitary Sub -Committee acted in Cha pter 3, Art.13 of the "Regional 
harmonized Regulation C / REG / 21/11/10 and operational rules for the safety of 
plants, animals and food in the ECOWAS region ", and to consult FAO Legal Office 
on the modalities of creating a RPPO for the West African sub -region;  
− To organize a validation workshop for the "West Africa Plant pest control program 
with emphasis on Fall Armyworm control " in March 2020 with African Development 
Bank (AfDB) and FAO in cooperation with member states before its submission to 
approval by AfDB commission for approval;  
− To provide supports for the implementation of the agreed action plan 2020 ; 
− Translate into Portuguese the harmonized validated inspection guides and 
decision -making . 
 
To FAO  
− To support NPPOs  in raising awareness of national authorities on the financial 
impact of damage caused by harmful organisms on crops in order to encourage 
them to provide substantial budget for their NPPOS operations . 
 
To ECOWAS - UEMOA - CILSS  
− To advance the harmonizatio n of phytosanitary regulations;  
− To Contribute to building capacities of: i) NPPO's human resources and designate 
the AGRHYMET center as a training center for NPPO personnel in the region. ii) 
Member States' plant pest surveillance systems, and particularly  introducing digital 
surveillance tools and laboratory diagnostic of pests in countries.  
 
2.2  3rd West Africa Regional harmonization m eeting to discuss identified phytosanitary 
issues and Prepare  NPPOs for the Upcoming Commission on Phytosanitary Measures 
(CPM -15) meeting, 30 March -3 April  
2.4.  The objective of this regional harmonization meeting is to review and discuss in detail the 
identifie d matters of interests for the W est Africa sub -region to be discussed at the CPM15 and 
agreed on common position as well as  consolidate these positions and identify lead and support 
countries to present these position at the upcoming CPM15. Also, to share experience from the 
previous CPMs.  G/SPS/GEN/1759  
 
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  3  CONCLUSION AND WAY F ORWARD  
3.1.  The ECOWAS  Commission take this opportunity to thank USDA, US DA-FAS, USAID  Regional 
office, West Africa, European Union, FAO, African Development Bank (AfDB), AU -IBAR, and all 
partners and donors for their continuing support in advancing SPS issues in the ECOWAS region and 
beyond. Also want to call for more collabor ation, support for future implementation of actions to 
better address in a sustainable manner SPS matters in the sub-region  of West Africa . 
 
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