Mukhtar Warns Africa Against Empty Animal Disease Commitments, Demands Action
By Pan Afric Reporters
Mukhtar Warns Africa Against Empty Animal Disease Commitments, Demands Action
Nigeria’s Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has challenged African countries to translate commitments on transboundary animal disease control into concrete action, warning that weak implementation, inadequate funding and political inertia continue to threaten livestock productivity, food security and international trade across the continent.
Mukhtar gave the charge on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at the opening of the 13th Meeting of the Regional Steering Committee of the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs) for Africa in Abuja, hosted by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development. The position was contained in a press release issued by Oghenekevwe Uchechukwu for the Ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations.
The Minister expressed concern that despite two decades of regional deliberations, Africa had continued to struggle with the implementation of decisions reached at meetings, particularly at the national level where funding constraints and competing priorities often undermine agreed strategies.
“The record shows a Committee that has become very good at convening and less sure that its decisions travel,” Mukhtar said.
He warned that transboundary animal diseases remained a serious threat to livestock production and economic development, stressing that outbreaks continued to spread across borders without regard for political or administrative boundaries.
“Diseases do not go on recess or take a break. They cross and ravage on without regard to boundaries, political or administrative,” he said.
Mukhtar identified the revision of the African Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) eradication timeline, replenishment of the continental vaccine bank and improved coordination of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) control as critical priorities requiring decisive action.
On the proposed revision of the 2030 PPR eradication target, he called for an evidence-based deadline backed by clear accountability mechanisms for vaccination coverage and delivery.
He also advocated a responsive continental vaccine bank, arguing that accessibility and speed of delivery should take precedence over the volume of vaccines held in distant locations.
“A continental vaccine bank that can be drawn down within days of an outbreak is worth more to Africa than a larger stock held further away. Africa’s vaccine sovereignty is a matter of animal health security, and the replenishment question ought to be answered on that basis,” the Minister said.
The Minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the GF-TADs mechanism, pledging that the Federal Government would work with the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside relevant institutions, to strengthen implementation of the committee’s decisions.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, represented by the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Anzaku, said Nigeria’s hosting of the meeting demonstrated its commitment to regional biosecurity, safe animal trade and a resilient livestock sector.
She stressed that the cross-border nature of animal diseases made collective action indispensable.
“They do not check passports at our borders. As such, our challenges are shared, and consequently, our solutions must be collective, synchronised and resolved,” she said.
The Director of the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), Dr. Huyam Salih, urged participants to ensure that continental priorities were translated into coordinated national action. She called for a review of progress under the existing strategic framework, clear priorities for the next implementation period and stronger collaboration among continental institutions, regional economic communities and national governments.
In a goodwill message, the representative of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Dr. Neo Joel Mapitse, called for stronger government ownership and increased domestic funding for animal disease control, noting that development partners were ready to support African countries but expected adequate political commitment and budgetary allocations.
Mapitse also highlighted progress in veterinary services across Africa, stating that all WOAH member countries on the continent, including Nigeria, had undergone the Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) evaluation process. He further advocated stronger coordination among AU-IBAR, WOAH, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other institutions under the One Health approach.
The FAO representative, Dr. Mohammed Shamsuddin, identified persistent gaps in disease surveillance, laboratory services, biosecurity and emergency preparedness as major obstacles to effective animal disease control.
He noted that transboundary diseases were affecting livestock producers, pastoralists, food security, public health and trade, while climate variability and changing production systems were further complicating response efforts.
Shamsuddin disclosed that FAO had supported animal health capacity development across Africa, including the training of nearly 3,000 professionals in 46 countries and capacity development for 70 veterinary laboratories. He added that 53 laboratories across the continent were equipped to identify priority economically important animal diseases.
He urged stakeholders to move beyond reporting activities to measuring tangible results, including early disease detection, faster outbreak response and the implementation of adequately funded national programmes.
The three-day meeting is expected to review progress on previous recommendations and agree on priority interventions for controlling transboundary animal diseases in Africa.
Deliberations will focus on PPR eradication, FMD prevention and control, African Swine Fever, vaccine bank replenishment, disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, digital monitoring and coordination among national and regional veterinary services.
The meeting has brought together representatives of AU-IBAR, FAO, WOAH, regional chief veterinary officers, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen Africa’s collective response to animal health threats.
