The ministers signing the cross border MOU (from left to right: South Sudan, Ethiopia, kenya and Uganda )

3-5^th July, 2019 (Entebbe, Uganda): IGAD Center for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) with financial support from USAID and FAO/South Sudan EU cross border project organized a multilateral two days meeting between Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda technical teams in Entebbe, Uganda on 3-4^th July, 2019 to develop an implementation framework to operationalize the Memorandum of Understanding on crossborder cooperation and coordination on animal health and sanitary measures in IGAD cluster 1 (Karamoja). This was followed by a one-day meeting of Ministers responsible for animal resources of the four countries on 5^th July, 2019 who signed the MoU. This will strengthen the four countries’ cooperation and collaboration along their common borders to address animal health issues including disease surveillance, disease prevention & control, sharing of natural resources, diagnostic infrastructures and timely sharing of animal health and trade information. The technical and Ministerial meetings held back to back were attended by 30 and 26 participants respectively from the four countries. Participants included Ministers, protocol officers, Veterinary technical staff from national and regional/ state governments, FAO, Mercy Corps, ICPALD/IGAD and community leader

Hon. Joy Kabatsi, state Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda, officially opened the meeting. She reminded participants that Karamoja cluster is characterized by frequent drought and inadequate water that contribute to livestock movement across the common borders whose communities are the same people. This contributes to spread of transboundary animal diseases (TADs), zoonoses and pests that require cooperation and coordinated efforts from the four countries for effective prevention and control; that is the objective of this MoU. The cooperation will promote inter-regional and external trade in livestock and livestock products from our countries.  Antonio Luis, FAO representative, Uganda; Dr. Solomon Munyua, ICPALD Director; Hon. Dr. Gebre Yohannes G/Egziabher, State Minister of Agriculture, Ethiopia; Hon. Mwangi Kiunjuri, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation, Kenya and Hon. James Janka Duku, Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, South Sudan, made welcome remarks.

The two meetings achieved the following:

• The technical meeting developed an implementation framework and established a governance structure with clear terms of reference,
• The four Ministers signed the cross border MoU for cluster 1 (Karamoja cluster).

 Recommendations of the technical meeting:

• Governments of Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda should assign individual members for the joint steering committee (JSC) and Joint coordination and management unit (JCMU)  and notify their names and contact details to ICPALD as soon as possible;
• ICPALD in collaboration with member states and development partners should organize the official launch of the JSC and JCMU;
• The four governments should start popularizing the signed MoU and implementation framework (IF) to development partners, policy makers, cross border communities and other relevant stakeholders along the livestock value chain for buy-in and support implementation.
• The four countries should develop a harmonized vaccination calendar along cross-border areas with resources from existing national projects or development partner’s funded programmes;

• JSC and JCMU should lobby and advocate for national resources (from existing budget and manpower) to facilitate implementation of the signed MoU and associated IF;
• The four governments as well as ICPALD, FAO and other implementing partners should jointly and/or independently develop bankable proposals and approach relevant development partners for resource mobilization to support implementation of priority activities,

 The ministerial meeting committed to:

1. Advocate and maintain political will at the highest level of our four countries in support of the Memorandum of Understanding and the associated draft Implementation Framework.
2. Mobilize, in collaboration with IGAD and FAO, the required resources from within our respective countries and partners to roll out activities contained in the draft implementation framework.

 ICPALD/IGAD expresses appreciation to USAID and FAO /EU South Sudan cross border project for funding this activity.

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June 26-28, 2019 (Naivasha, Kenya) IGAD /ICPALD in collaboration with FAO and AUIBAR organized the 9^th Annual Eastern Africa Regional Animal Health Network (EA-RAHN) meeting. It comprises the Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs), Epidemiology (EAREN), Laboratory (EARLN) and Quarantine networks (EARQN) and funded jointly by FAO-ECTAD Unit for Eastern Africa, AU-IBAR and the IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD). This regional meeting was undertaken in Lake Naivasha Resort Hotel from 26^th to 8^th June 2019 where representatives from 10 countries as well as from Regional Economic Communities (IGAD, EAC), AU-IBAR, EuFMD, Makerere University, ICIPE and FAO-ECTAD, OIE Sub-regional for eastern Africa attended. The meeting was officially opened by Dr. Julia Kinyua on behalf of Chief Veterinary Officer, Kenya  while welcoming remarks were made by Dr. Thomas Dulu (OIE), Dr. Ameha Sebsibe (IGAD/ICPALD), Dr. Baboucarr Jaw (AU-IBAR) and Dr. Charles Bebay (FAO-ECTAD).

The objectives of the 9^th EA-RAHN meeting were to review the progress of the network activities, trans-boundary animal disease (TADs) situation and update on One health (OH ) agenda; review challenges constraining the proper functioning of networks and  recommend  next steps.

 The key recommendations were    

• FAO, AU-IBAR, IGAD and OIE to put in place mechanisms to share developed and validated Training Manuals and Guidelines widely in member states (MS) and partners;
• MS should work to decrease Foot and Mouth diseases (FMD) prevalence in the region and enhance on key activities/competencies to make tangible progress along the FMD-PCP pathway with support from EUFMD;
• The meeting recommended that MS and partners need to strengthen disease information sharing among the MS and partners;
• Considering that the region faces high disease risks, the technical institutions, together with the MS, should develop an appropriate Risk Assessment framework with a clear mechanism of ownership for conducting priority risk assessments;
• Considering the economic importance of rift valley fever (RVF), trypanosomosis (camel and cattle) and tick-borne diseases (TBDs), action towards management of these diseases should be given priority at national levels;
• In order to sustain In service Applied Veterinary Epidemology Training ( ISAVET) at the country level, the programme should be integrated into the CVO’s structure and budgeted for, with initial support from the partners;
• Regional workshop on the role and use of IT/tools in early warning, surveillance, risk assessment and information sharing be conducted to improve animal health in the region.
• FAO, AU-IBAR, IGAD and EAC to plan for a consultative meeting with GALVMed and AgResult, in attendance of NVI, and KEVEVAPI on the contribution of the FMD vaccine project to sustainability of FMD vaccine supply and delivery in the region

  The EH-RAHN secretariat (ICPALD/IGAD, FAO, AUIBAR and OIE) expresses appreciation to FAO, AUIBAR and ICPALD/IGAD for funding this activity 

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June 24-25, 2019 (Kenya): Peste des petits ruminantes (PPR) and other key small ruminant diseases (SRDs) are among those considered trade-sensitive diseases in the IGAD Region. The IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD), after having established the regional PPR control and eradication coordination committee (CECC), developed regional PPR strategies and programme for the control and eradication of PPR, asisted IGAD countries to develop national PPR strategies and align to the regional and global strategies. These actions are beliveved to contribute to joint and coordinated efforts towards erradicating PPR gloably by 2030. The objectives of the meeting were to review the progress and updates on regional, continetal and global  PPR control and eradication programme, to recieve  updates on PPR control and eradication efforts at national levels  including resource mobilization efforts and to coordinate, exchange good practices and lessons on PPR/SRD Control and eradication programmes in the region. The pparticipants were Directors of Veterinary Services (CVOs) and PPR Focal Persons from ten member states of Eastern Africa, regional Laboratory, EPI and quarantine coordinators from the region and technical partner international organisations such as AU-IBAR, FAO, OIE, PANVAC, ILRI and ICPALD. The meeting conducted on June 24-25, 2029 in Naivasha, Kenya. Dr. Obadiah Njagi, the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), Kenya, opened the workshop. Welcome remarks were also made by Dr. Ameha Sebsibe representing Director of ICPALD, Dr. Baboucaar Jaw representing Directorof AUIBAR and Dr. Gijs VanKlooster representing FAO Ethiopia.  

The key recommendations:

Member states (MS) to focus on PPR Monitoring and Assessment tools (PMAT) and the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code (TAHC - Chapter 14.7) for assessment and guidance to MS on progressing from one step to the other along the PPR control and eradication pathway;

1. Resource mobilization: MS to mainstream PPR control and eradication programme to appropriate livestock and resilience programmes
2. Work on introduction and implementation of appropriate public private sector partnerships (PPP) in the delivery of PPR vaccination using available resources;
3. MS and stakeholders / partners to undertake intensive awareness and buy-in campaigns, along small ruminant value chain for adequate national financial support to PPR control and eradication within broad rural development programmes
4. Strengthen coordination at national, cross border and inter-regional economic communities level to enhance coordinated control and eradication of PPR 

 ICPALD expresses appreciation to the SHARE Ethiopia project /FAO Ethiopia /and AUIBAR /EU/ for funding this activity

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13-06-2019,Mombasa (Kenya): IGAD region is home to about 17,506,106 camels contributing over 51% of the world population. However, camel potential is affected by among others increased frequency of drought due to climate change, undiagnosed disease that causes sudden death and other transboundary animal diseases like camel pox, pests, limited knowledge and skills on camel husbandry by extension staff and limited value addition on camel milk, meat and hides. Therefore, a two days regional workshop was organized to review the current status of camel production and marketing; good practices and lessons learnt from past investments and challenges that affect the value chain. Workshop participants included veterinary technical personnel from ministries responsible of animal resources, the private sector (milk processors, exporter and association), research institutions (ILRI and KALRO), non-governmental organizations (Mercy Corp, World vision and Save the Children) and (USAID).

Dr. Obadiah Njagi, the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), Kenya, opened the workshop. He reiterated the importance of camels in the ASALs of IGAD region. They greatly contribute to pastoral resilience bearing in mind climate change that has led to increased frequency of drought in the region. As such, camels are affected by inadequate fodder and water in addition to a number of unrecognized diseases, However, through IGAD effort, grades and standards of live camels were developed to promote trade. Countries should focus on value addition in camel products like milk, meat and hides that is poorly developed. Welcome remarks were also made by Dr. Solomon Munyua, the Director of ICPALD.  

 Recommendations and way forward

1. IGAD should support the development of a regional camel development policy and strategy  for domestication by member states
2. Member states should support capacity development in camel health and husbandry practices by liaising with training institutions to include modules on camels in their training curriculum (certificate, diploma and degree) and strengthen extension service
3. IGAD, research institutions, development partners (donors and implementing) and member states should support research efforts involving community participation to promote breeding programmes, unravel/ mitigate undiagnosed camel diseases , among others to improve camel productivity and health service delivery
4. IGAD should support the development of a regional camel forum (as a sub-network of regional animal health network) incorporating all interest groups in camel issues for sharing good practices, challenges, lessons learned, research findings, market needs and for networking
5. Member states, development partners and IGAD should support value addition in live camels and camel core (milk & meat) & by- (hides, bones [necklaces, key holders] etc) products along the value chain and strengthen market linkages to minimize informal trade,
6. Member states, development partners and IGAD should support rangeland improvement through rehabilitation, develop standard operating guidelines and strengthen governance structures to mitigate effects of drought, climate change, land degradation and invasive weeds encroachment,
7. Member states and IGAD should develop bankable proposals and seek for willing development partners to finance camel development projects at national and regional levels

 ICPALD expresses appreciation to the RPLRP project /World Bank for funding this activity.

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