G/SPS/GEN/1431  
 
7 July 2015  
(15-3503)  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 14-16 JULY 2015 
The following communication, received on 6 July 2015, 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 steering committee meeting for the African Solidarity 
Trust Fund (ASTF) project held in Harare, Zimbabwe on 28–29 May 2015. The project is being managed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) sub-regional office. The project is aimed 
at strengthening regional sanitary and phytosanitary 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 the implem entation of the provisions of the World Trade 
Organisation (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. 
1.2.  The meeting reviewed member States work plans and made recommendations on the way 
forward in the respective thematic areas (food sa fety, plant and animal health). The eight primary 
beneficiary member States include Angola, Botswana, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, South 
Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The project has a regional component to ensure effective 
coordination and technical support. 
2  WORKSHOP ON HARMONISATION OF PHYTOSANITARY REGULATION 
2.1.  SADC Secretariat facilitated a workshop on harmonisation of phytosanitary regulations for 
horticultural plants for planting moving in intra-regional trade. The workshop was held in Pretoria, South Africa on 9–11 June, 2015. Participants of the workshop were officials from the National 
Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) from all the SADC member States responsible for 
conducting pest risk analysis (PRA) including plant protection experts from research institutions and international organisations. The workshop was sponsored by European Union (EU) through the Regional Economic Integration Support (REIS) programme. 
2.2.  Harmonised phytosanitary import regulations for plants for planting of 19 horticultural crops 
aimed at facilitating safe intra-regional trade were drafted in readiness for national consultations. The 19 crops were chosen by member States during the Plant Protection Technical Committee 
meeting held in South Africa in February 2015 by considering their importance to regional trade. 
2.3.  Harmonisation of phytosanitary regulati ons was achieved through the development of a 
regional list of quarantine pests for each crop. Member States provided national lists of endemic 
pests for the selected crops. The provided lists were consolidated into crop specific regional lists of 
endemic pests. Pest risk analysis was conducted in accordance with International Standard for Phytosanitary Measure publication 11. G/SPS/GEN/1431 
 
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  3  MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT FLIES 
3.1.  With support from FAO through the regi onal Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP), a 
regional training workshop on the development and management of national and regional Plant 
Pests Databases was conducted in Lusaka, Zambia on 18–20 June, 2015. The workshop was 
facilitated by regional expert from the University  of Pretoria, South Africa. Eight member States 
participated in the workshop namely Angola, Botswana, Madagascar, Namibia, Seychelles, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 
3.2.  The workshop was followed by the Proj ect Steering Committee meeting which discussed the 
national work plans and made recommendations on the way forward. 
4  MANAGEMENT OF BANA NA FUSARIUM WILT ( FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM  F. SP. CUBENSE 
TROPICAL RACE 4) IN MOZAMBIQUE 
4.1.  SADC Secretariat participated in the inception workshop of the TCP between FAO and the 
Ministry of Agriculture of Mozambique following the outbreak of the Banana Fusarium Wilt Disease in Nampula Province of Mozambique in September, 2013. The workshop was held on 20–24 April, 
2015 in Nampula, Mozambique. The workshop was attended by the national, regional and 
international plant protection experts including the private sector. 
4.2.  The 12 month project is aimed at supporting the disease containment efforts in order to stop 
it from spreading in the country and the region. The disease is of quarantine importance as it 
poses serious threats on food security of Mozambique and the region. 
For more information, please contact: Dr Elsie Meintjies ( emeintjies@sadc.int ) or Mr Chiluba 
Mwape ( cmwape@sadc.int ). 
 
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