Ethiopia and Somalia are holding bilateral talks to harmonise livestock trade procedures, strengthen regulatory coordination and reduce barriers along cross-border trade corridors.
Authorities responsible for livestock, quarantine, customs and trade are exploring reforms to improve services and make compliant trading channels more accessible.
Supported by Swiss Development Cooperation through the Regional Livestock Program, the dialogue seeks to expand pastoral communities’ market access while safeguarding animal health.
Ethiopia and Somalia are holding bilateral talks to strengthen regulatory coordination and harmonise procedures along livestock trade corridors, with the aim of reducing trade barriers while safeguarding animal health.
The meeting brings together national and subnational authorities responsible for livestock, quarantine, customs and trade. According to ICPALD, the dialogue seeks to improve coordination among these institutions and make compliant trading channels more accessible and attractive to traders.
The discussions are supported by Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) through the Regional Livestock Program (RLP).
A central objective is to translate opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) into practical reforms that facilitate cross-border livestock trade. The talks focus on strengthening regulatory cooperation, improving services and establishing more predictable and transparent procedures.
By bringing the relevant authorities together, the meeting provides a platform to address how livestock trade requirements are coordinated across the two countries and along the corridors connecting their markets.
ICPALD said the initiative aims to facilitate legitimate trade while protecting animal health. This places trade facilitation and effective livestock health controls at the centre of the bilateral dialogue.
Clearer and better-coordinated procedures could help traders understand and meet requirements for moving livestock through compliant channels. Improving the accessibility of these channels is among the stated goals of the meeting.
The dialogue also seeks to expand market access for pastoral communities whose livelihoods depend on livestock. According to ICPALD, predictable, transparent and coordinated regulations are intended to support these communities by improving opportunities for legitimate trade.
The participation of both national and subnational authorities brings different levels of regulatory responsibility into the discussions, alongside the institutions overseeing quarantine, customs and trade services.
The meeting forms part of efforts to strengthen regional integration through practical cooperation in the livestock sector. Its stated focus is on turning bilateral dialogue into reforms that improve services and reduce barriers along trade corridors.
ICPALD’s update did not specify which procedures would be harmonised or announce any concluded agreements. The discussions remain focused on advancing regulatory coordination between Ethiopia and Somalia and improving conditions for cross-border livestock trade.