In a landmark two-day meeting held at the East African Community (EAC) headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, the Republic of Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania have successfully addressed longstanding concerns regarding the export of poultry and poultry products between them.

In his remarks, Mr. Rabson Wanjala, Co-Chair of the meeting from Kenya, emphasised the critical importance of trade between the two countries, highlighting the necessity for ongoing consultations to streamline and facilitate trade processes.

Mr. Wanjala said that both countries had committed to fostering trade relations, adding that the commitments made underscore the importance of collaborative efforts to ensure increased trade in the region.

On his part, Dr. Benezeth Lutege Malinda, the Co-Chair of the meeting from Tanzania, echoed Wanjala’s sentiments, adding that Tanzania has embarked on ensuring all trade-facilitating agencies address and resolve any issues hindering trade, particularly the Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to trade.

“We remain committed to tackling these challenges and fostering an environment conducive to seamless trade between Kenya and Tanzania,” he said.

Kenya has historically been a significant exporter of poultry and poultry-related products to Tanzania, including Day-Old Chicks (DOC), hatching eggs, parent stock and processed poultry items. However, in 2021, Tanzania imposed a ban on poultry imports from Kenya due to the global outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). This ban severely impacted Kenya’s poultry industry, hindering access to a vital market.

The meeting, convened from 29th to 30th April, 2024, brought together veterinary authorities from both countries with the objective of resolving the ban on the export of poultry and poultry products from Kenya to Tanzania.

The two parties discussed their concerns and reached the following agreements regarding the trade of poultry between Kenya and Tanzania:

Clarification of the Ban: Contrary to previous understanding, Tanzania clarified that it had not imposed a ban on Kenyan poultry and poultry products but had implemented sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures (requirements) in response to the global Avian Influenza outbreaks as per the World Organization for Animal Health disease notification reports. These measures aimed at safeguarding animal and public health;
 
Continued Trade: Both parties affirmed that trade in DOCs and hatching eggs between the two countries was ongoing, with facilities demonstrating high biosecurity standards permitted to operate;
 
Risk Assessment: Any facility intending to export poultry products from Kenya to URT, and vice versa, may undergo a risk assessment to ensure compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures;
 
Surveillance and Capacity Building: the two Partner States committed to enhance surveillance efforts and capacity-building initiatives to ensure timely disease detection and reporting. Further, it was agreed that small-scale poultry producers in both countries will receive support to improve biosecurity measures in an effort to enhance their export opportunities; and
 
Enhanced Communication: Recognising the importance of efficient communication, both veterinary competent authorities in the two Partner States pledged to strengthen collaboration for swift issue resolution regarding SPS measures.

The outcomes of the meeting signify a significant step forward in resolving trade disputes and fostering mutually beneficial relations between Kenya and Tanzania. Both countries are committed to upholding transparency, facilitating trade, and ensuring the health and safety of their citizens.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of East African Community.

Escalating conflict is driving record levels of gender-based violence, displacement and hunger in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), threatening to push the country to the brink of catastrophe without urgent international action.

Decades of conflict and the resulting humanitarian emergency have already exhausted and traumatized millions of civilians. In the last few months alone, more than 700,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, bringing the total number of displaced people to an all-time high of 7.2 million.

Gender-based violence has surged to unprecedented levels, with recorded cases surging between 2022 and 2023. Stigma and the fear of retaliation prevent many survivors from coming forward. In addition to sexual violence, children are also at risk of other threats, including abduction, killing, maiming and recruitment by armed groups.

Minimal protection and security in crowded displacement camps means many are forced to exchange sex for survival and support for their families. When they venture outside to collect firewood, water or for work, they are also exposed to appalling levels of sexual violence.

More than 25 million people — a quarter of the population — continue to face crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity in the DRC, a country facing one of the world’s largest food crises. Cholera and measles are also spreading rapidly as the health sector continues to deteriorate. Climate extremes worsened by El Niño are yet another threat for already struggling families.

Bringing an end to the escalating humanitarian crisis in the DRC requires addressing its root causes: conflict, the exploitation of natural resources, illicit financial flows, prevailing gender inequality and development deficits.

Perpetrators of human rights violations must be held accountable for their crimes. Under international humanitarian law, civilians must be protected.

Ensuring that sufficient aid reaches civilians in need swiftly and without impediment is critical. But this year’s Humanitarian Response Plan is woefully underfunded, with just 16 per cent of the
$2.6 billion needed having been received. The gap between rapidly rising needs and sufficient resources means millions of people are left without the lifesaving support they need. This lack of resources is compounding the crisis by forcing humanitarian organizations to curb their assistance, with women and girls paying a devastatingly high price.

We must step up our support to the Congolese people, including to women and girls who are bearing the brunt of this conflict, as they work to rebuild their lives and livelihoods and return to their homes. The international community must mobilize additional resources for the humanitarian response and support for civil society organizations — as well as the political will to end the violence once and for all.

Signatories:

Mr. Martin Griffiths, Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Ms. Sofia Sprechmann Sineiro, Secretary General, CARE International
Dr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Ms. Nimo Hassan, Chair, International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)
Mr. Jamie Munn, Executive Director, International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)
Ms. Amy E. Pope, Director General, International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Mr. Tom Hart, President and Chief Executive Officer, InterAction
Ms. Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Chief Executive Officer, Mercy Corps
Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Ms. Janti Soeripto, President and Chief Executive Officer, Save the Children
Ms. Paula Gaviria Betancur, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (SR on HR of IDPs)
Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Mr. Michal Mlynár, Executive Director a.i., United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat)
Mr. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Ms. Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Ms. Sima Bahous, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director,** UN Women**
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO)
Mr. Andrew Morley, President and the Chief Executive Officer, World Vision International
Ms. Cindy McCain, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP)
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

The President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has nominated and appointed additional officials of government affecting the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Agency, and the Office of the President. 

These appointments, where applicable, are subject to confirmation by the Liberian Senate. 

The institutions and those nominated and appointed are:

I. Ministry of National Defense

1. Brigadier General (Retired) Geraldine Janet George, Minister of National Defense

II. National Security Agency

2. Major General (Retired) Prince Charles Johnson, III, Director, National Security Agency (NSA)

III. Office of the President 

3. Major General (Retired) Daniel D. Ziankahn, Military Adviser

IV. Ministry of Foreign Affairs

4. Mr. J. Henric Pearson, II., Director General for Passports&Visas (with the rank of Ambassador), Ministry of Foreign Affairs

President Boakai further calls on all those nominated and appointed to continue to demonstrate diligence, commitment, integrity, professionalism, and loyalty in service to country.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of Liberia: Executive Mansion.