Standard-setting organisations
The World Trade Organization mandated the World Organisation for Animal Health OIE, the International Plant Protection Convention and the Codex Alimentarius Commission to establish sanitary and phytosanitary standards.

Low African involvement and its effects
The involvement of African institutions in the activities of standard-setting organisations has been low. The majority cannot avail qualified personnel and lacks
other capacities to contribute in a gainful way, exacerbated by an ineffectiveness
to reach common positions on SPS issues.

These circumstances have caused Africa to be on the mere receiving end with hardly any influence over the formulation processes of emerging standards which impact immensely on Africa’s economy.

Expected results of PAN-SPSO

1. African SPS entities for effective participation in SPS standard stetting activities empowered
2. Common positions on SPS standards at continental and regional levels reached by African nations
3. Scientific capacity of African institutions to provide adequate input into standard-setting activity established
4. SPS-related data and information acquired and disseminated to African institutions via a newly established, publicly accessible information sharing platform