1. Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Activities in SADC
Dr. B. J. Mtei, Senior Livestock Expert
FANR Directorate
SADC Secretariat, Gaborone
WTO Workshop on Technical Cooperation and SPS Committee Meeting 5th November 2002
Geneva Switzerland

2. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
SADC Member States
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

3. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
SADC Protocol on Trade
Objectives
Liberalise intra-regional trade of goods and services
Ensure efficient production reflecting comparative advantages
Contribute towards investment;
Enhance the economic development and diversification
Establish a Free Trade Area
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

4. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
SADC Trade Protocol
All goods and services are covered
85% of total intra SADC Trade is expected to be liberalized by 2008
The remaining 15% by 2012
Implementation underscores the need for setting standards of trade
Little work has been done with respect to Agricultural goods and services
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

5. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
Tech Assist and Cooperation on SPS
To improve understanding of the SPS Agreement
Stakeholders aware of their obligations and rights
Enhance coordination, harmonization and integration
M and E of SPS measures implementation
Technical assistance is broadly based on three categories:
Training,
Information
Infrastructure development.
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

6. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
Training
Through RAPID (Regional Activity to Promote Integration by Dialogue) SADC has undertaken inventory and needs assessments of: institutions,
- policies
- technical capacities
Outcome
Framework for comparison of existing gaps
Development of a Technical Annex on SPS to the SADC Protocol on Trade
Guidance on trade in agricultural goods and services
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

7. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
Training cont..
Training by the EU funded RFSTP (Regional Food Security Training Programme) on:
- rights and obligations,
- harmonization, equivalence,
- risk assessment
- trade dispute settlement procedures.
- transparency provisions
Sponsorships are required for more people to participate in seminars, short courses workshops and meetings
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

8. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
Information
Knowledge of the SPS Agreement is often lacking
Mandates of the international standard-setting bodies (OIE, IPPC and Codex) are poorly understood
Inadequate participation in the development of
standards and guidelines
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

9. Table 1: Membership to WTO and International Standard Setting Bodies
Country
WTO
OIE
IPPC
Codex
Angola X
Botswana
DRC
Lesotho
Malawi
Mauritius
Mozambique
Namibia
Seychelles
South Africa
Swaziland
Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

10. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
Information (cont)
TOR for the National SPS Committees are often not
well articulated
At regional level there are no mechanisms established
to monitor progress on harmonization and integration
of SPS Measures
Private sector participation is minimum
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

11. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
Infrastructure Development
Expert training for specific technologies and procedures for human, animal and plant health hazards:surveillance, laboratory tests and diagnosis, progressive control and effective prevention and inspection,
2 Development of SPS – related electronic software e.g for surveillance and reporting.
3 Regulatory frameworks must be reviewed to conform
to agreed standards and guidelines
4 Information Communication Technology
5 Investment in infrastructure to maintain pest
and disease free zones
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

12. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
In summary
Public and Private resources are not adequate for SPS Activities
Most of the Member States either have no laws or they are outdated and do not provide requirements demanded by the SPS Agreement
There are institutional problems in almost all the SADC Member States in coordination the departments involved in SPS Measures, which can be confusing for importers and exporters
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

13. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
In some of the SADC Member States National SPS Committees have not been established or may have been established but they are not functional.
CCapacity building for SPS activities is the major problem in SADC Member States to implement the SPS Agreement. Lack of personnel, laboratories and equipment to diagnosis plant and animal disease and to conduct analysis on food samples poses a great risk to human health and hinders trade
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector

14. SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector
Conclusions
SADC Member States have made little headway in terms of SPS Agreement implementation.
The right institutions, regulations, and enforcement need to be put in place. The key areas for Technical Assistance are
training, strengthening of the appropriate institutions,
communication, and upgrading the technical facilities for testing and establishing standards.
At national level New regulations need to also be put into place while at the regional level the Technical Annex to the SADC Protocol on Trade is expected to guide development, harmonization and enforcement of SPS Measures.
17/09/2018
SADC FANR Directorate - Livestock Sector