© 2018 AU-IBAR. Consultative Workshop on Establishing Sustainable Electronic Fish Market Information Systems (EFMIS) in Eastern and Central Africa; Kigali, Rwanda 3rd - 5th December 2018.Introduction

The workshop, on establishing an Electronic Fish Market Information system (EFMIS) for Eastern and Central Africa, was organized in Kigali, the Capital City of Rwanda, by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) with support from the European Union (EU). The meeting took place from the 3^rd to 5^th December 2018.

The workshop was attended by 30 participants, including Representatives of AU member states (Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania,); Representatives of Regional Economic communities (EAC, ECCAS, IGAD); Regional fisheries bodies and organizations (COREP, LFVO, IGAD and CEBEVIRHA); Independent Experts, Representatives of Non-State Actors and Women Organizations; and African Union (AUC and AU-IBAR staff).

Opening session

Speech by the Director, AU-IBAR

While officially opening the workshop on behalf of the AU-IBAR Director, Dr. Mohamed Seisay welcomed all participants to the workshop and gave a brief background and objectives of the workshop.
Dr. Seisay Expressed profound gratitude and appreciation to the Government of Rwanda for the opportunity accorded to African Union to conduct this workshop in the Country.

He reminded the participants that the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa identifieda major policy area on Responsible and Equitable Fish Trade and Marketing, which aimed at harnessing significantly the benefits of Africa’s fisheries and aquaculture endowments through accelerated trade and marketing. The identification of this crucial policy area was partly informed by the observation that though trade plays a major role in the fishing industry as a creator of employment, food supplier, income generator, and contributor to economic growth and development in several African countries, many African Union Member States still face several constraints in improving their fish trade and marketing sector. Some of the constraints include: Poor infrastructure and insufficient facilitation, the introduction of market-related measures such as eco-labelling and related certification process, private standards for environmental and social purposes which are increasingly becoming hindrance to African fish and fish products accessing lucrative markets.

© 2018 AU-IBAR. Development of a Business Model for the Establishment of Regional Technology and Innovation Incubation hubs in Africa (A-TiChubs).Africa is increasingly becoming a key player in acquiring, generating and applying knowledge to development challenges. Yet more needs to be done to make technology and innovation play its part in the quest for transformation and diversification of the African economies. Sustained support to help member States put in place a favorable technology transfer and innovation development environment to address member states pressing needs is required. The drive is to promote the growth of knowledge based economies for the African continent.

As part of providing leadership and coordination in the sustainable development of the continent’s Animal Resources, AU-IBAR is implementing a 5-year project on "Sustainable Development of Livestock for Livelihoods in Africa - Live2Africa". The Live2Africa project gives effect to the Livestock development strategy for Africa (LiDeSA) and is aligned with Agenda 2063 development goals. One of the key project’s focus areas is to enhance innovation development, generation and utilization of technologies, capacities and entrepreneurship skills of livestock value chain actors. Thus, the project seeks to establish Regional Technology and innovation incubation hubs in Africa (A-TiChubs). The impetus of the A-TiChubs creation is to provide creative spaces, infrastructural services, mentorship, intellectual property management, access to financial resources and networking opportunities for technology innovators, technology accelerators, agribusiness entrepreneurs, and technology entrepreneurs. The vision is that the A-Tichubs will be the centerpiece of revolutionizing technology, innovation, skills and promoting knowledge-based economies in the African livestock sector.

In light of this, a write-shop "Development of business model for the establishment of regional Technology and Innovation Incubation hubs in Africa (A-TiChubs)" was convened by AU-IBAR from 19^th – 22^nd November 2018 in Arusha, Tanzania. The consultative workshop was attended by a total of 35 participants who were drawn from selected Member States, Universities, Private sector, regional and International organizations amongst other key stakeholders. The meeting was officially opened by the Director of Veterinary Services, Professor Hezron Nonga.

© 2018 AU-IBAR. 7th Experience Sharing Workshop on Sanitary Regulation and Enforcement; Banjul, the Gambia, 27 to 29 September 2018.The 7^th experience sharing workshop on Sanitary Regulations and Enforcement was jointly held by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources and the Pan African Parliament (PAP) from 27^th to 29^th September 2018 in Banjul, Republic of The Gambia. The workshop was chaired by Hon Aurelien Simplice Kongbelet Zingas from Central Africa Republic on behalf of the President of PAP and was moderated by Hon El Hadj Issa Azizou, PANAF Coordinator at PAP.

The workshop was opened by Hon. Momodou L. K. Sanneh, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of The Gambia who underscored the importance of the animal resource sector to Africa’s agricultural transformative agenda and the critical role sanitary measures play in promoting public and animal health and the facilitation of international trade. The Hon. Deputy Speaker assured participants of African Union Member States’ commitment to support the commercialization of the sector for the socio-economic development and wellbeing of Africans. Dr. Baboucarr Jaw, Chief Animal Health Officer, on behalf of the Director of AU-IBAR, and the Representative of President of PAP also presented their statements and recommitted to supporting the establishment and strengthening of institutional structures, policies and legal frameworks to promote animal resource development in Africa. The workshop was attended by member of PAP’s Committee on Rural Economy, Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, other Parliamentarians, staff from AU-IBAR and the Secretariat of PAP.

The objectives of the workshop were to:

• create awareness amongst the members of PAP and other Parliamentarians on AU-IBAR Programmes on animal resources and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) issues relevant for Africa.
• articulate the oversight role of Members of PAP and other Parliamentarians on SPS issues and their tracking using Monitoring and Evaluation system.

The broad conclusions of the workshop are:

© 2018 AU-IBAR. Workshop of Stakeholders for Harmonization of Methodologies for Comprehensive Fish Trade Corridor Mapping and Analysis in Africa; Naivasha – Kenya, 3rd – 5th October 2018.Introduction

An expert consultative workshop on harmonization of methodology for comprehensive fish trade corridor mapping and analysis in the five regions of Africa took place in Naivasha, Kenya from the 3^rd to the 5^th October 2018. The workshop was organized by the African Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) with support from the European Union.

The workshop was a follow-up to the EU Funded Fish Trade Project that was implemented from 2013 to 2018 by WorldFish in collaboration with AU-IBAR and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA). One of the important lessons learnt from the implementation of the Fish Trade Project was that there is a prevalence of informal fish trade in Africa along diverse trade corridors that were not within the portfolio of the Project; and therefore most AU member states with high fish production were not captured in the corridor analyses conducted. Also, North Africa was not included in the EU Fish Trade Project.

For a detailed understanding of the extent of intra-regional fish trade on the continent, it is therefore important that a comprehensive mapping of fish trade corridors be conducted in the whole of the continent, taking into account the above lessons. The outcome of this study would be critical to consolidating the achievements made by the Fisheries Governance and Fish Trade Projects in enhancing intra-regional fish trade for food security and poverty reduction on the continent.

The current initiative, which is also been funded by the EU, has therefore been conceived to conduct comprehensive mapping of cross-border fish trade corridors and analyze the characteristics of trade patterns along these corridors. The comprehensive mapping exercise is expected to contribute to knowledge and realistic policy actions towards strengthening intra-regional fish trade on the continent and contribute to the attainment of Malabo Goals on enhancing intra-regional fish trade, poverty alleviation and reducing hunger.

Five regional consultants (west, central, and east, southern and north) have been recruited to conduct the identification and mapping of fish trade corridors, trade patterns and characteristics. The consultants are tasked to identify main characteristics of the identified trade corridors, key aspects of fish trade along the corridor, and make recommendations on how to improve cross-border fish trade along the corridors.