ECOWAS ministers adopt regional animal health strategies

Ministers responsible for animal health from seven ECOWAS member states have adopted three regional strategies to combat transboundary diseases and protect livestock in West Africa. The decisions were finalized during a meeting in Lomé, Togo, held in October 2026.

The new strategies include a plan for the protection and conservation of donkeys through 2030, which involves strengthening national laws and cross-border cooperation to ban the trade in donkey skins. Additionally, the ministers approved action plans for 2027–2031 focused on the prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease and highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The Regional Animal Health Centre (RAHC) will coordinate these efforts, focusing on harmonizing legislative frameworks, improving epidemiological surveillance, and enhancing real-time information sharing through a ‘One Health’ approach. The ministers emphasized that livestock is vital to the regional economy and that protecting species like donkeys is essential for supporting rural livelihoods.