WEBMAIL
2008 - 2015
Workshop on Strengthening Regional Cooperation in Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) to Deter, Combat and Illiminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU) in West Africa
© 2016 AU-IBAR. Workshop on strengthening regional cooperation in monitoring, control and surveillance for effective fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in West Africa, 15-17 February 2016, Abuja, Nigeria.15-17 February 2016 - Abuja, Nigeria. A workshop on strengthening monitoring, control and surveillance to effectively combat, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in West Africa was jointly organized by the African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with support from the European Union, in Abuja, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, from 15-17 February, 2016.
The overall objective of the meeting was the identification of priority actions for strengthening MCS capacity at national and regional levels as well as proposing options for establishing effective regional cooperation on MCS matters. The specific objectives were to (i) identify challenges and constraints to effective national and regional MCS (ii) identify priority actions for national and regional plan of actions to deter, combat and illuminate IUU and ( iii) develop a roadmap for establishing/strengthening of regional MCS Centre(s).
The meeting was attended by about 50 participants including Directors of Fisheries and MCS Experts from West African coastal states (Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, The Gambia, Senegal, Togo, Benin, Cote D’Ivoire), representatives from ECOWAS, SubRegional Fisheries Commission (SRFC) , Fisheries Committee for West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), Monitoring for Environment and Security in Africa (MESA), Indian Ocean Commission, European Union, the Ministerial Conference of Countries Bordering the Atlantic Ocean (ATLAFCO), European Union, ECOWAS, Non-state actors, experts and African Union staff.
The opening ceremony marked by four statements from the representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, ECOWAS, AU-IBAR and the European Union. Mrs. Louise Hill, the representative of European Union, expressed appreciation to AU-IBAR and ECOWAS for extending invitation to the European Union to participate in the highly important meeting. IUU fishing wherever it occurs, she noted, is of serious concern to EU and that EU is ready to work with partners in the fight against this practice.
Communique - Think Tank Meeting on Sustainable Aquaculture Development in Africa
7-10 February 2016
Cairo, Egypt
Introduction
1. A consultative Think Tank meeting on sustainable aquaculture development in Africa was jointly organized by the African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA), WorldFish and the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, with support from the European Union, in Cairo, Egypt, from 7-10 February, 2016.
2. The overall objective of the meeting was the formulation of a Pan African Plan of Action for sustainable aquaculture development to ensure increased contribution to food and nutritional security, poverty alleviation and economic growth consistent with the Malabo Declaration that called for action on transformation of agriculture by 2025. Specifically, the objectives were to (i) take stock of aquaculture strides in African Union (AU) member states (ii) reflect on the challenges and opportunities presented by the aquaculture sector (iii) share lessons, best practices and innovations relating to ecologically sustainable commercial aquaculture (iv) identify priority actions to enhance aquaculture contribution to the African Accelerated agricultural transformation agenda and (v) formulate action plans and way forward for the sector’s development to meet CAADP’s goal of 6% and the policy objectives for sustainable aquaculture development of objectives Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa (PFRS).
3. The meeting was attended by over 100 participants including 42 African Union member states, 7 Regional Economic Communities, representatives of Regional fisheries bodies, water basin commissions, Non-state actors, women’s’ groups, youth and development partners, experts and African Union staff.
4. The meeting was facilitated by Dr. Simplice Nouala, Chief Animal Production Officer, AU-IBAR.
5. The agenda of the meeting was unanimously adopted.
Collaborative Disease Control in Cross-Border Areas for Enhanced Resilience and Livestock Trade among Pastoralists
© 2016 AU-IBAR. Vulnerable livestock-keeping communities in Kajiado County, Kenya.Livestock experts from the Greater Horn of Africa (GHoA) under the framework of the Standard methods and Procedures in Animal health Project (SMP-AH) have agreed, during their annual review and planning meeting, on high impact activities to control transboundary animal diseases (TADs) in cross-border areas in the GHoA. Cross-border areas within the GHoA support a large number of vulnerable livestock-keeping communities that normally experience a number of shocks, most importantly drought. Because of drought conditions, animals reared in such environments move across borders in search of pasture and water. Likewise, animals in such areas move for purposes of trade. This kind of movement for either pasture or trade facilitates spread of transboundary animal diseases. It is therefore important for communities in cross-border areas to collaborate, coordinate and harmonize diseases control.
The Standard Methods and Procedures in Animal Health (SMP-AH) Project activities will involve supporting communities to detect and report disease incidents to facilitate prompt and appropriate disease response such as vaccination campaigns in cross-border areas. The capacity of the veterinary services to undertake surveillance, disease control and information sharing will be enhanced. The overall aim is to enhance livestock productivity, trade, livelihoods and resilience of vulnerable groups found in cross-border areas.
