Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Countries in the Sadc bloc have combined forces to fight a highly contagious transboundary disease affecting small ruminants in the region.
The bloc, in collaboration with the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), is convening a high-level regional meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, to establish a coordinated buffer zone against Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a devastating viral disease affecting small ruminants.
The meeting began on August 25 and runs up to August 27.
Also known as sheep and goat plague, Peste des Petits Ruminants is a transboundary disease that can infect up to 90% of an animal herd, and the disease kills anywhere from 30 to 70% of infected animals, according to FAO.
Although seven Sadc member states (Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa and Namibia, south of the veterinary cordon fence) currently enjoy WOAH-recognised Peste des Petits Ruminants-free status, the disease continues to spread southwards from East and Central Africa, posing a threat to the region.
Supported by the EU-funded programme ‘EU Support to the Eradication of PPR from Africa’, the Lusaka meeting brings together veterinary authorities, policymakers, technical experts, and regional and international partners.
Delegates will design and endorse a multi-country buffer zone targeting high-risk areas in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda and Burundi.
This zone will serve as an epidemiological firewall to prevent the southward spread of PPR into disease-free Sadc countries and to stabilise high-risk border areas through intensified vaccination, surveillance, and diagnostics.
It will strengthen veterinary systems, regional cooperation, and rapid response mechanisms and contribute to Africa’s continental and global goal of eradicating Peste des Petits Ruminants by 2030.
“This buffer zone is not just a technical measure; it is a symbol of solidarity and shared responsibility,” said Dr. Hiver Boussini, senior animal health officer at AU-IBAR.
“By acting now, Southern Africa can safeguard millions of livelihoods, protect vulnerable communities, and lead the way towards a PPR-free Africa.”
The three-day meeting will result in the production of a joint communiqué, a validated buffer zone map, and a regional action plan.
This plan will include strategies for vaccination, surveillance, controlling animal movement, and mobilising resources. A regional coordination mechanism will also be established to oversee implementation and ensure long-term sustainability.
This initiative forms an integral part of the pan-African PPR Eradication Programme (2023–2027). It is aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the FAO-WOAH global PPR strategy, and the Sadc’s livestock development priorities.
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