Information Session on IPPC Guides for Safe Trade (STDF/PG/350)

An interactive information session on the "Phytosanitary manuals, standard operating procedures and training kits" project was organized by the IPPC Secretariat on the margins of the WTO SPS Committee in March 2017.

Ms Ketevan Lomsadze (IPPC) highlighted various technical resources developed under the STDF project, including trade related guides on Market access, Transit, Export certification and Import verification. Ms Lomsadze provided information on other IPPC guides, as well as on the Phytosanitary Resources page, an electronic depository of phytosanitary technical resources also developed under the STDF project.

Mr Ken Msiska from the Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary Service (PQPS) of Zambia presented on how the use of various technical resources facilitated market access of Zambian products to South Africa and China. Technical trade negotiations not only led to new market access for Zambian farmers, but also demonstrated that despite the limited capacity of PQPS, market access is attainable.

Mr Philip Njoroge from the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate (KEPHIS) shared his experience on enhancing compliance of Kenya's phytosanitary sytem through use of IPPC's technical resources. He also provided an overview of the national phytosanitary export certification and import regulatory system, along with concrete market access stories.

Presentions and podcast of the session are available below. Detailed information on the STDF project is available here.