Senegal: Workshop on methodology for updating national lists of regulated pests

In March a hybrid workshop was held in Dakar. Experts and representatives of National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) from Senegal and Guinea attended in person, while participants from Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire took part remotely.
The workshop aimed to:

• take stock of the situation in participating countries regarding the establishment and updating of their national lists of regulated pests
• promote the sharing of experiences and good practices between experts and NPPO managers of the different countries
• agree on a methodological and operational approach for establishing and updating national lists of regulated pests in line with International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) and adapted to the specific context of ACP countries
• provide the essential elements for the development of a “Practical Guide for the Establishment and Maintenance of National Lists of Regulated Pests” for NPPOs in ACP countries, consistent with the Rapid SPS Assessment Tool (R-SAT) and other COLEACP tools related to SPS.

Lists of regulated pests are central to the priorities of phytosanitary systems in order to set import requirements and protect territories from the introduction of pests. The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) requires contracting parties to establish, maintain and make available lists of regulated pests, to the best of their ability. ISPM 19, “Guidelines on lists of regulated pests” emphasises the importance of establishing, updating and communicating such lists.

Although numerous publications exist on the subject, notably through the IPPC and ISPMs, it remains difficult for NPPOs in ACP countries to establish and update their lists of regulated pests on a regular basis, due to a lack of organisation and practical methodology.

The workshop enabled participants to go beyond scientific, technical and financial considerations to identify the key success factors for establishing and updating ISPM-compliant national regulated pest lists in their countries. The information gained will inform COLEACP activities in collaboration with the IPPC and CABI, including the organisation of training for our ACP experts in the use of practical tools developed by CABI, for the benefit of partner NPPOs.

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market SPS programme, implemented by COLEACP in the framework of the development cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union.