The Regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience Project is concomitantly under implementation in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. National RPLRP project supported the national veterinary department towards cross-border area disease surveillance and animal vaccination. As a result, Ethiopia and Kenya national RPLRP projects procured vaccines for TADs such as FMD & PPR in Kenya and LSD, CBPP, sheep and goat pox, CCPP and camel pox in Ethiopia. In order to maintain and realize the cross-border elements of the project, it is important to regularly discuss and agree on harmonized vaccination in order to effectively control TADs. Such activities are visualized as flagship cross-border activity with clear regional approach. IGAD RPLRP coordinated the second cross-border harmonized/ synchronized TADs vaccination on 6^th and 7^th August 2019 concomitantly in Moyale Ethiopia and Kenya respectively. It was attended by technical teams from Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir and Mandera counties in Kenya and SNNPR, Borana, Ethio-Somali regions of Ethiopia; national / federal veterinary officials, IGAD and VSF-G.

Coordinated Vaccination launch

• The launch of coordinated vaccination in Ethiopia was officially done by the Woreda administrator on 6^th August, 2019. It was addressed by the representatives of CVOs of both countries, Bureau heads of SNNPR, Borena and the County Secretary of Marsabit County and ICPALD representative. The three regions targeted vaccination against LSD and CBPP in cattle, Sheep and goat pox in sheep and goats, CCPP in goats and camel pox in camels.
• The coordinated vaccination launch in Kenya was done on 7^th August, 2019 against PPR in sheep and goats and FMD in cattle. Livestock were additionally dewormed and those with ectoparasites applied with spot-on as a way to incentivize pastoralists to present their livestock for vaccination. The launch was officially done by Marsabit County Secretary. It was addressed by ICPALD representative, CVOs’ representatives of the two countries and RPLRP livelihood component heads.

Comments and observation from the vaccination launch

• Beneficiaries of the two countries reiterated that lack of water was a big challenge to livestock keeping and requested for desilting of the available water pans or develop new ones to enhance water harvesting and conservation during rainy season.