This report has been prepared for the Formal Meeting of the World Trade Organisation Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures, 16-17 March 2016.

Workshop on Food Safety Awareness Creation

SADC Secretariat facilitated a workshop on Food Safety Awareness creation for the private sector. This workshop was held in Lusaka, Zambia from 20-21 January 2016. The goal of the workshop was to broaden the understanding of the food safety issues by the private sector so as to enhance their participation in the development and implementation of food safety standards for improved safe regional and international trade in food. Participants included representatives of farmers associations, retailers associations, manufacturers association, consumers associations and farmers. The workshop was sponsored by European Union (EU) through Regional Economic Integration Support (REIS) programme.

Participants and workshop facilitators shared their national experiences in the implementation of food safety control systems. It was strongly agreed that national food safety regulators should collaborate with the private sector in order to ensure that food safety standards are equally implemented for both domestic and international trade.

Study on Identification of Sanitary Measure Hindering Regional Trade

SADC Secretariat commissioned a regional study in January 2016 to identify sanitary measures hindering trade in veterinary medicines, vaccines, animals and animal products so that they can be harmonised. The study covered seven member States namely: Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

The end of assignment report is being compiled by the consultants.

Meeting on Preparation for the 22nd Session of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS)

SADC Secretariat with support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) facilitated a preparatory meeting for the 22nd Session of CCFICS. The meeting was held in Lusaka, Zambia from 26-29 January 2016.

The objectives of the meeting were to: improve the quality and effectiveness of participation of SADC member States in the meeting of the CCFICS; provide a forum for knowledge and experience sharing; and come up with a regional position on the agenda items to be discussed during the CCFICS meeting through a common understanding of issues.

Sanitary and Phytosanitary Information Management System Training

SADC Secretariat facilitated a regional SPS Information Management Systems Training Workshop focusing on the national notification authorities (NNA) and national enquiry points (NEPs) in Pretoria, South Africa from 16-19 February 2016. The goal of this workshop is to contribute to improved intra-regional and international trade in food and agro-products through the implementation of the transparency provisions of WTO-SPS Agreement as mirrored in the SPS Annex to the SADC Protocol on Trade.

The workshop was sponsored through EU-REIS programme.

All SADC member States participated in the workshop with representation from food safety, animal and plant health NEPs and Ministry of Trade for NNAs.

Regional Management of Fruit Flies

An FAO supported regional Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) involving three member States namely Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe on regional management of fruit flies came to a closure in January 2016.

An exit strategy to ensure sustainable management of fruit flies was developed during the closing workshop held in Lusaka, Zambia from 8-9 February 2016.

Technical Cooperation Project on Food Control Systems

SADC Secretariat participated in a regional workshop sponsored by FAO. The workshop was held on 29 February to 1 March 2016 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The objective of the workshop was to improve multi-sectoral involvement in food safety control system and to improve collaboration between the national food control authorities and regional economic communities.

The workshop marked the closure of a regional TCP aimed at improving food control systems in three member States namely Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.

The TCP focused on strengthening the capacity of National Codex Contact Points and National Codex Committees.