The Somali ecosystem (SES), an area that extends across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia and corresponds to a zone occupied by the Somali cattle herding community and contiguous areas into which their livestock move for pasture or trade purposes. The area is about 920,000 sq. km.

From this perspective and on the basis of the administrative data available, the SES specifically comprises central and southern Somalia, 27 woredas of Ethiopia, which form the areas rinderpest surveillance zone, and the “surveillance” and “infected” zones of Kenya as notified to OIE for the purpose of accreditation of freedom from rinderpest disease on zonal basis. The SES has a cattle population estimated to slightly exceed seven million (Ethiopia- 2,542,619, Kenya- 1,775,763, and Somalia- 2,724,854). The livestock sector is a major contributor to the economies of the three countries in terms of livelihoods, employment and income generation. The largest numbers of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists and the largest concentration of livestock in Africa are in these three countries.

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This ecosystem is thought to be where the last possible foci of rinderpest in the world may be found. Despite the presumed persistence of infection, the rinderpest virus associated with mild disease in cattle in the ecosystem was last confirmed over 10 years ago. In wildlife, the virus was last confirmed to be present in September 2001 in buffaloes in Meru National Park of Kenya. Then, no link was established between the rinderpest infection in the wildlife and disease in cattle. In the most recent ‘mild rinderpest-compatible’ disease event (2003) where viral RNA had been detected in cattle, genetic characterisation confirmed Kabete ‘O’ (vaccine strain) as opposed to field African lineage 2 virus.

Further, surveillance data collected between 2004 to date so far negate the presence of circulating rinderpest virus in the ecosystem, but this needs to be confirmed scientifically. On the basis of this, a strategic decision has been made to delineate the area still possibly infected (At-Risk area) in Somalia and contiguous areas of neighbouring countries, then declare provisional freedom from disease for the remaining areas of the SES, and thence to steer the SES countries along the OIE pathway for accreditation of rinderpest freedom.

Resolving the suspicion about the presumed persistence of rinderpest in the SES and achieving OIE accreditation of the freedom status will create zoo-sanitary security in the SES countries. This will boost livestock development and trade and thus improve livelihoods and incomes and lead to poverty alleviation.

Furthermore, the re-enforcement and sustenance of harmonized and coordinated surveillance at ecosystem level for the purpose of accreditation of RP freedom will contribute to the attainment of the global GREP goal. Last but not least, strengthened national veterinary services with coordinated surveillance and emergency preparedness programmes will reduce the risk of resurgence of rinderpest and enhance general disease control.