Steering Committee Commends VET-GOV’s Implementation

The 6th Steering Committee Meeting of the AU-IBAR/VET-GOV Programme, which evaluated the six month performance of VET-GOV, praises the concrete results achieved in terms of the development of livestock policy frameworks and legislations.

Deliberating on VET-GOV’s consolidated progress report and harmonized calendar of events, the Meeting, held in Port Louis, Mauritius on 23rd and 24th July 2015, acknowledged the significant progress made with the formulation of national livestock policy frameworks and legislations in Ghana, Mauritius and Zambia.

The Meeting also appreciates the steps taken by COMESA to formulate a regional livestock policy framework, the content of which was recently reviewed and validated by experts from COMESA’s member states. Furthermore, the Meeting evaluated financial reports and the progress made at ECCAS in the formulation of regional livestock policy frameworks.

Expressing his gratitude to AU-IBAR/VET-GOV Programme for the technical and financial assistances it rendered, Honourable Mahen Kumar Seeruttun, Minister of Agro Industry and Food Security of the Republic of Mauritius, informed the Meeting that the newly validated national policy on National Livestock Development and the new legislation on Veterinary Services will be instrumental to enhance livestock development in Mauritius.

Prior to the Minister’s opening remarks, remarks were made by Dr. Janet Edeme, Head of Rural Economy Division on behalf of the Commissioner of AU-DREA, Dr. Baboucarr Jaw, representing the Director of AU-IBAR, Mr. David Mwangi Njuru, representing the EC; Prof. Cheikh Ly representing the FAO and Dr. Karim Tounkara representing the OIE.