The Ethiopian Policy Forum ratifies the national position

 

Addis Ababa, 17 November 2009

 

The Ethiopian draft national position document on livestock health, trade and venerability was finalised by Ethiopia’s policy hub, the Livestock Policy Forum, on November 17, 2009 at Debrezeit Veterinary Institute, Ethiopia. It now remains to be presented to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MOARD).

The meeting, chaired by Dr Berhe GebreEgziabher, Director of the Ethiopian Animal and Plant Health Regulatory Directorate at MOARD, and Steering Committee Member of the IGAD-LPI, deliberated on several key policy issues, including animal disease, trade, service delivery and standards. Once endorsed by the Ministry, the document will serve as a position statement for Ethiopia in its negotiations with other IGAD member states on an IGAD-wide regional policy framework, at a ministerial meeting to be held from 8th to 10th of December 2009 in Djibouti.

Speaking at the meeting, Dr Berhe acknowledged the relentless effort exerted by the Policy Hub members, IGAD Livestock Policy Initiative (LPI) and donors to bring this exercise to a fruitful outcome and expressed his hope that the country position paper will be accepted by the Ministry and be a solid base for the elaboration and implementation of the regional policy framework which is being facilitated by IGAD LPI.