Following the recommendations of the Abuja Declaration on Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa (2005), Africa’s Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa (PFRS) adopts the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, and leans on WTO’s sanitary and phytosanitary measures as the most pragmatic and viable approach for achieving this, all-inclusively across the continent. Bearing in mind the transboundary nature of Africa’s aquatic ecosystem, the African Union Aquaculture Action Plan 2016-2025 consequently outlines the establishment regional approaches for aquatic animal health management and biosecurity control.
The key accomplishments to-date include the launching of two Regional Aquatic Animal Health Networks (RAAHN) and a continental Regional Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory Network for Africa (RAAHLN-Af) in collaboration with the World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH). Africa’s Aquaculture Action Plan recommended this approach in order to facilitate and strengthen continental capacity for implementing WTO’s Aquatic Code and Codex Alimentarius in an all-inclusive manner that equally engages and benefits communities, smallholders, women and youth. The collective outcomes of led to continental decisions on the need to establishing continental strategies for aquatic animal health, biosecurity and vaccines to promote continental coherence in approach and the inclusion of Africa’ aquatic animal health and biosecurity control concerns into the African Union’s Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) Framework and Strategy 2025 - 2035 to consolidate outcomes to achieve long-term sustainable impact.