Aid agencies urge Gulf states to lift livestock ban

Thirteen months into a campaign to demonstrate that Somali livestock is free of Rift Valley fever (RVF), the United Nations and NGOs have once again called on the Gulf states to lift their crippling ban on Somali livestock imports. The ban, imposed in September last year, has crippled the Somali economy, yet shows few signs of being lifted despite growing evidence that Somali animals are RVF-free. Although the campaign to have the ban revoked, spearheaded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), has achieved some successes - notably the decision earlier this year by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to re-authorise imports of Somali meat and animals - the continuing closure of the crucial Saudi Arabian market continues to create severe economic hardship in Somalia, depriving whole communities of income. The ban was imposed because of fears that Somali animals were prone to RFV, a virulent haemorrhagic disease which can be transmitted to humans, leading in some cases to death. But despite exhaustive and extensive research which has shown no presence of RVF in Somali stock, the ban remains in force. "After tests on thousands of animals were analysed by the best laboratories, the investigation showed persuasively that Somali livestock was free of life-threatening diseases, including RVF," said a Famine Early Warning System report released on Friday. The report praised the decision of the UAE to lift their ban on chilled meat and live animals, but warned that these developments in the UAE livestock market "are too small to make a noticeable difference in Somalia". Campaign organisers now hope they will be able to get the ban lifted in time for Somali livestock producers to meet the rising annual demand in Saudi Arabia arising from the Hajj pilgrimage.