Specialist Task Force On Pastoral Policy For Africa Gathers In Addis Ababa 19 To 20 February 2008

*Press Release from the African Union and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs*

Addis Ababa/Nairobi, 18 February 2008 - A high-level group of experts on pastoral issues and policies from across Africa will meet for the first time in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 19 and 20 February 2008 to lay the groundwork for the formulation of an Africa Pastoral Policy Framework.

The policy formulation process is expected to result in a continent-wide Pastoral Policy document to be adopted by African Union (AU) member states at a Summit in 2009. The AU Commission is hosting this first meeting of the Specialist Task Force.

“The Pastoral Policy Framework is important to strengthen the rights of pastoral people in Africa, secure their livelihoods, preserve their unique way of life and enhance their productivity”, said Dr. Babagana Ahmadu, Director at the AU’s Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (AU-DREA).

“The Policy Framework will serve as an advocacy tool to promote and improve the livelihoods of pastoral communities in Africa. The process is an all-inclusive and highly consultative undertaking involving a wide range of stakeholders. This meeting of the Specialist Task Force is the first step to laying the groundwork on how the consultative process of the framework development will unfold”, Dr. Babagana Ahmadu said.

There are an estimated 120 million pastoralists and agro-pastoralists worldwide, of which 50 million reside in sub-Saharan Africa. Sudan and Somalia have the largest pastoral/agro-pastoral populations of seven million each, followed by Ethiopia with four million. Critical issues for pastoral communities include increasing the value of livestock and preserving pastoral ecosystems, access to markets for pastoral products and greater participation in decision-making and policy debates. The Pastoral Policy Framework Initiative is the African Union’s response to the erosion of pastoral communities’ livelihoods across Africa.

The Specialist Task Force   is the quality assurance and guidance mechanism of the Pastoral Policy Framework Initiative which is implemented by AU-DREA. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is accompanying the process and facilitates the full involvement of pastoralists at all stages of the policy development process, including facilitating the information flow between pastoralists and the African Union Commission.

Members of the Specialist Task Force are Mr. Ali Wario, Assistant Minister of Special Programs and Mr. Michael Odhiambo of Resource Conflict Institute both from Kenya; Hon. Anab Abdulkadir MP, Pan-African Parliament and Mr. Nura Dida Chairman of Oromia Pastoralist Association from Ethiopia; Mr. Ibrahim Youssouf from Mali;   Mme. Jackie Sultan of Responsible Filiere Laitiere of Guinea; Mr. Mohammedi Salah, Chief of Cabinet of the Ministry of Rural Development from Algeria,   Mrs Nafisatu Mohamed, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Nomadic Education in Nigeria; Dr. Christopher Ndi, the National Scientific Coordinator of Animal and Fisheries Production of the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development from Cameroon; and Dr. Beramgoto Tarounga from Chad.

For further information please contact: Jens Laerke, OCHA RO-CEA, laerke@un.org, +254 (20)762 2119 mob: +254 (0)722 513 503. Dr. Emmanuel Tambi, African Union DREA, +251 115517700 Ext. 115, TambiEN@africa-union.org. Choice Ufuoma Okoro, OCHA RO-CEA, +254 (20)762 2156, mob: +254 (0)723 763 398, okoro@un.org. UN OCHA Pastoralist Communication Initiative: www.pastoralists.org

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