East Africa adopts 10-year strategic framework to tackle foot-and-mouth disease

EAST AFRICA – Governments and regional partners have endorsed a new 10-year strategic framework to curb Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), marking a major step toward coordinated control of one of Eastern Africa’s most persistent livestock health threats. 

The validation took place recently during a two-day consultation workshop held at the Trademark Hotel in Nairobi.

The meeting brought together a broad coalition of institutions led by the African Union’s Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the East African Community (EAC). 

They were joined by representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and GALVmed. 

Also participating were national Chief Veterinary Officers, FMD focal points, wildlife authorities, and technical experts from across the Eastern Africa FMD Roadmap countries.

The endorsed “Strategic Framework for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Eastern Africa 2026–2035” aims to harmonise regional approaches to FMD management, an urgent need given the frequent outbreaks, major economic losses, and market-access restrictions stemming from the disease. 

The framework aligns with ongoing continental initiatives, including Agenda 2063, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) 2026–2035, the Livestock Development Strategy for Africa (LiDeSA), and the Animal Health Strategy for Africa.

AU-IBAR Director Dr. Huyam Salih said FMD continues to drain billions of dollars from Sub-Saharan Africa each year and undermines the food security of hundreds of millions of people who depend on livestock. 

She stressed that “no single country can manage FMD independently,” calling for deeper regional coordination, harmonised surveillance systems, and faster response mechanisms.

The strategy is built around three mutually reinforcing pillars. The Knowledge and Evidence pillar focuses on strengthening regional information platforms, enhancing risk assessment tools, and expanding economic and epidemiological studies to understand FMD dynamics. 

The Capacity Building pillar emphasises region-wide training, improved vaccination campaigns, and stronger diagnostic capabilities, including serotyping and vaccine matching, as well as efforts to promote public–private partnerships.

The Coordination and Cooperation pillar seeks to harmonise protocols, reinforce early-warning systems, facilitate bulk procurement of quality vaccines, and improve regional laboratory networks.

Development of the strategy drew heavily on national inputs, including recommendations from the Eastern Africa FMD Roadmap Meeting held in Dar es Salaam in 2024. 

Delegates highlighted persistent challenges such as low vaccination coverage, limited laboratory capacity, fragmented movement control, and insufficient political commitment and financing for sustained FMD control.

During the Nairobi workshop, participants conducted detailed reviews of the draft strategy, identifying gaps and proposing refinements. 

Country groups presented recommendations on strengthening regional strain monitoring, formalising cross-border sample-shipment agreements, institutionalising biosecurity in markets and abattoirs, and improving communication strategies to maintain political will. These inputs were consolidated into the final validated framework.

In closing remarks, Dr. Salih reaffirmed AU-IBAR’s support for Member States and Regional Economic Communities as they transition to implementation. 

She noted that the rollout of ARIS3 will enhance disease reporting and situational awareness, improving the region’s readiness to detect and respond to emerging threats.

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