Djibouti, Puntland and Somaliland poised to begin harmonisation and coordination of disease surveillance and reporting activities to jointly prevent and control trans-boundary animal diseases, which have significant impact on trade and livelihoods.
To this effect, AU-IBAR/SMP-AH Project organised a regional workshop, held in Djibouti City from 20th to 22nd August 2015, for frontline animal health workers.
The workshop provided participants with the required knowledge and skills they need to harmonise and coordinate animal diseases surveillance, control and reporting in the region. During the sessions, participants lay down the foundations for harmonization and coordination of veterinary activities and establish the mechanism to exchange animal health information across the Somali ecosystem.
The workshop, which brought over 40 participants together, was officially opened by Dr Moussa Ibrahim Cheik, Director General of Animal Health in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Republic of Djibouti. In his key note address, Dr Moussa advised participants to embrace regional spirit and utilise the knowledge they acquired from the workshop to exert a meaningful contribution to control trans-boundary animal diseases and, thereby, increase national incomes and improve the livelihoods of the poor farmers, whose life is heavily dependent on livestock.
Head of the Delegation of Somaliland, Dr Sharmake Ahmed Ismail, on his part, said participants should join hands to embark on the harmonisation of various activities to ensure effective control of trans-boundary animal diseases within the Somali ecosystem. Representing Puntland, Dr Mohamed Muse remarked that frontline animal health workers should shoulder the responsibility of materializing the harmonisation and coordination processes. In his remarks, Dr Joseph Magona, on behalf of the Director of AU-IBAR, Professor Ahmed Elsawalhy, urged participants to use the knowledge and skills they attained from these workshop to harmonize key activities for more effective animal disease prevention and control in the Somali ecosystem. He also thanked Djibouti for hosting the workshop and USAID for financial support.
The workshop was the continuation of the regional workshop, held from 8th to 10th December 2014, in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, to identify activities that lend to harmonisation and coordination of tasks that target the monitoring and controlling of trans-boundary animal diseases in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. During this regional workshop, participants identified PPR, CCPP, CBPP, Camelpox, Sheep and Goat Pox and FMD as priority diseases to be addressed in the Somali ecosystem.