Key resolutions set pathway for coordinated regional action towards PPR eradication

Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania – Countries from Southern, Central and Eastern Africa have agreed on key resolutions to strengthen coordinated action against Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), providing a practical pathway for translating the episystem approach into stronger cross-border surveillance, preparedness, information sharing and disease control.

The resolutions were agreed at the Regional PPR Buffer Episystems Workshop, held from 14 to 16 September 2026, which brought together representatives from Angola, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia, alongside regional and international partners.

The workshop was organized under the European Union-funded Support Towards the Operationalization of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy (STOSAR II) Project, in collaboration with the FAO PPR Secretariat and the Pan-African PPR Secretariat, hosted by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR).

Over three days, participants reviewed cross-border PPR risks, exchanged epidemiological information and national experiences, and examined how interconnected livestock production systems, animal movement routes, markets and trading networks shape the risk of disease spread across national borders. These deliberations informed the nine resolutions, setting out priority actions for countries and regional partners to strengthen prevention and control.

“This marks the beginning of a more coordinated phase of action against PPR across the region. Countries now have a stronger shared understanding of the episystem approach and the practical steps needed to accelerate progress towards PPR eradication, protect the livelihoods of small ruminant keepers, and support safer regional trade and market access,” said Dr Nyabenyi Tipo, FAO Representative in Tanzania.

From episystems to coordinated action

PPR is a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic and wild small ruminants, particularly sheep and goats. It can cause severe production losses and deaths, with serious consequences for household income, food and nutrition security, and the resilience of livestock-dependent communities. While some Southern African countries have achieved internationally recognized PPR-free status, continued virus circulation in parts of Eastern and Central Africa remains a concern for neighbouring countries and cross-border livestock systems.

The episystem approach recognizes that PPR risk is shaped not only by national boundaries, but by interconnected animal populations and the systems through which they mix, move and trade. The nine resolutions therefore place emphasis on translating national PPR strategies into practical action while strengthening coordination across borders and between PPR-endemic and PPR-free areas.

Speaking at the official closing, the Deputy Minister of Livestock and Fisheries of the United Republic of Tanzania, Honourable Ng’wasi Damas Kamani, emphasized the importance of translating the workshop’s outcomes into action.

“Our task is to ensure that the knowledge, evidence and partnerships strengthened here are carried forward into practical action. Small ruminants are a vital pillar of livestock production systems across our region. For millions of households, sheep and goats provide food, nutrition, income and resilience, particularly for women, youth and vulnerable communities whose livelihoods depend on livestock production and trade. Protecting this sector is therefore central to food security, poverty reduction and inclusive rural development,” she said.

Fahari Marwa, Director of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources at the SADC Secretariat, emphasized the importance of strengthening regional cooperation and advancing the PPR buffer zone strategy.

“I urge the participating Member States – the Republic of Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Republic of Tanzania to expedite the signing of the Trilateral Memorandum of Understanding on the PPR buffer zone, thereby paving the way for the effective implementation of the PPR buffer zone strategy,” he said.

Nine resolutions provide a pathway forward

The nine resolutions provide a framework for moving from technical discussions to implementation. They call for countries to translate national PPR strategies and plans into practical, costed actions, develop an investment case for PPR eradication, and prioritize PPR eradication within national agrifood systems investment plans.

Countries also agreed to use surveillance findings and epidemiological evidence to further refine regional episystems and guide risk-based interventions. Strengthening cross-border harmonization, information sharing and coordinated surveillance and preparedness emerged as priorities, particularly in buffer areas where livestock movements connect PPR-endemic areas with countries and zones that remain free of the disease.

The resolutions also emphasize safeguarding progress towards PPR-free status, including support for Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi, Seychelles, Zimbabwe and Zambia to use surveillance outcomes to consider the historical freedom pathway by 2027. Together, the actions provide a basis for countries and regional partners to better target resources, coordinate interventions and manage PPR risks across interconnected livestock systems.

Investing in stronger animal health systems

The European Union highlighted the importance of sustained investment and partnerships in strengthening Africa’s capacity to address transboundary animal diseases.

“This is why the European Union continues to invest in stronger animal health systems in Africa. Our support to this workshop, through the EU-funded Support Towards the Operationalization of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy Project, together with our support to AU-IBAR, is part of a broader commitment to strengthen the capacities, partnerships and systems needed to prevent, detect and respond effectively to transboundary animal diseases,” said Mr Olivier Louis, Head of Section for Natural Resources at the Delegation of the European Union.

Through STOSAR II, FAO and the SADC Secretariat are supporting Member States to strengthen animal health systems and the capacities needed to prevent, detect and manage priority transboundary animal diseases. Together with wider regional partnerships, the nine resolutions provide a pathway for translating the episystems approach into coordinated action across borders, strengthening surveillance and preparedness, safeguarding livestock-dependent livelihoods and creating conditions for safer regional trade.