On March 13-14, 2023, with support from ERRA, the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat organized a meeting of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) partners in Nairobi to create a platform for enhancing coordination and improved interaction among partners supporting the EAC for the implementation of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) priorities in the EAC.

ERRA aims to promote safe food trade in the EAC by supporting National and Regional institutions to cooperate in developing and implementing SPS measures to facilitate trade in the East Africa region. The ultimate vision is to create SPS corridors where food commodities can move from farm to market without stopping at the borders.

The EAC has made progress in implementing SPS policies, including ratifying the SPS Protocol by the Partner States, drafting a regional SPS bill, and drafting standard operating procedures and measures to
harmonize the regional regulatory system. However, a cross-cutting challenge amongst the Partner States is the need for more capacity to implement these SPS instruments.

At the forum, partners mapped out and agreed a work plan of priority activities that need to be implemented which will guide ERRA interventions in this important area, including regulatory reforms and technical assistance to strengthen institutional capacities of National agencies responsible for food safety and plant health.