May 12-14, 2026 (MOYALE, Ethiopia-Kenya) IGAD through its specialized Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) organized a joint review of the operationalization of the Bilateral MoU on cross-border animal health cooperation between Ethiopia and Kenya in Moyale. The review was followed by the launch of the annual synchronized vaccination in IGAD Cluster 2.
The forum brought together coordinators from national governments, sub-national and cross border administrations from Ethiopia and Kenya to present implementation status and update a joint surveillance and vaccination calendar for harmonized vaccinations against priority TADs in their respective cross-border areas. Relevant development partners engaged in livestock development such as VSF Germany, VSF-Suisse and Helvetas were also present.
Additionally, the forum provided an opportunity for the MoU’s governance structure committees to exchange knowledge on early warning of animal disease outbreaks, including response mechanisms, which impacts livestock mobility, grazing patterns, trade performance and market expansion.
The synchronized vaccination is a flagship event in the cross-border areas with a regional approach. The estimated projection is for a total of 7 million livestock to have been vaccinated by the end of 2026 within the IGAD Cluster 2 area which covers Borana and Moyale corridors.
On 13 May the vaccination launch took place in Ilamu and Boku Luboma Kebeles, Miyo District, Borana zone in Ethiopia, targeting 300,000 livestock. The exercise projects to vaccinate a total of 5 million livestock (camels, cattle, goats, sheep) by the end of June 2026, in various districts bordering Kenya. These districts are Miyo, Moyale, Dhire, Dillo and Teltele. The vaccination launch on the Kenyan side took place on 14 May in Sololo, Marsabit County, targeting a total of 2 million livestock in Moyale and North Horr Sub-Counties.
This joint activity contributes to the global initiative to eradicate Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) or “sheep and goat plague” by 2030, to strengthen food security and rural livelihoods. It is documented that PPR causes up to USD 2 billion in annual economic losses globally.
The forum was convened under ICPALD’s AfDB-funded Building Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security (BREFONS) Project.
###
