IGAD’s Center for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) emphasized the significance of  cross-border animal health coordination for the control and eradication of Peste des petis ruminants (PPR) and other priority transboundary diseases from the Horn of Africa (HoA)  as most countries have long and porous borders and animals move for pasture, water and trade. Dr. Ameha Sebsibe, Head of Livestock and Fisheries at ICPALD made this remarks on the Sixth Regional PPR Control and Eradication Committee (CECC) workshop conducted in Addis Ababa,Ethiopia from Oct 9-10, 2018. The workshop was financially supported by FAO-Ethiopia’s PPR Eradication Project (EU SHARE). Dr. Gijs Vant Klooster, Head of Livestock and Pastoralism Thematic Program with FAO-Ethiopia officiated the meeting together with Dr. Alemayehu Makonnen Anbessie, Director of Disease Prevention and Control made opening remark on behalf of the State Minister, Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.

It was also mentioned that : “Ethiopia and Kenya have signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) through its responsible ministries and that implementation framework (IF) for the operationalization of the MoUs are developed and governance structures were established in August 2018.” As part of the IF; the two countries have identified three key activities for immediate implementation and these include Participatory Disease Surveillance (PDS), sero-monitoring, and vaccination against PPR in Turkana-South Omo, and Marsabit-Borana borders. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is working closely ICPALD and financially supported the development of the MOU and IF for the Ethiopia-Kenya; Karamoja and Dhikil clusters, among others.

Workshop organizers also heralded the progress made by Ethiopia and Kenya on implementing national PPR eradication projects with the objective of freeing its small ruminants from PPR with a generous financial support from European Union’s Supporting Horn of Africa Resilience (EU-SHARE) Program and the interventions are expected to significantly redress the gaps in tackling cross-border coordination and harmonization issues between the two countries.

During the two days, the workshop has reviewed the progress made at the regional, continental and global PPR control and eradication levels, received updates on PPR control and eradication efforts from IGAD member states, shared good practices and lessons and made clear recommendations. The main recommendations are to undertake coordinated resource mobilization, promote information sharing and coordination among member states.

ICPALD acknowledges and appreciates the financial support of FAO Ethiopia through the EU-SHARE Program for undertaking the 6th regional PPR control and eradication coordination meeting