August 1, 2025 (Djibouti, Djibouti): The IGAD Secretariat’s participated in the 9th Africa Animal Welfare Conference – Action 2025, that took place 28-30 July 2025 in Yaunde, Cameroon. Experts from the IGAD Health Programme participated in the conference whose theme was “Strengthening Actions for Animal Welfare and Environment for a Sustainable Future and Resilient Planet.”
The Conference provided a strategic platform for continental dialogue on strengthening animal welfare and environmental sustainability under the broader One Welfare and One Health frameworks.
As the current Chair of the Inter-REC Coordination Platform, IGAD played a central role in driving this agenda forward. IGAD leadership were recognized for advancing innovative solutions, with a strong focus on the use of digital tools to support resilient ecosystems and animal health.
A dedicated high-level panel discussion hosted by IGAD on “Digital One Health: Promoting One Welfare in Africa” brought attention to the interconnected nature of animal welfare, human health, and environmental sustainability.
In the session, IGAD emphasized the use of digital technology as a powerful enabler, not just for monitoring and data gathering, but for facilitating faster and more accurate responses across the human-animal-environment interface. ICPAC has continued to provide regularly updated climate forecasts across the region, offering a critical resource for informed policy and planning.
The IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD) has reinforced its role in promoting livestock resilience and sustainable pastoralism. It has expanded its digital capacity in areas such as real-time disease outbreak reporting and transboundary animal movement tracking. In partnership with ICPAC, the Centre delivers climate-based advisory and animal health messages directly to pastoralist communities, helping to safeguard livelihoods in climate-affected areas.
Additionally, the IGAD Sheikh Technical Veterinary School and Reference Centre (STVSRC) in Hargeisa, established as an IGAD regional center of excellence, is playing an increasingly prominent academic role. Its contributions include developing digitally enabled curricula, advancing collaborative research on climate impacts on zoonoses and animal health, and driving regional knowledge transfer.
IGAD also contributes significantly to regional health security through its Health, Environment, and Pandemic Preparedness and Response (HEPRR) program. Through partnerships with the African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU IBAR), GIZ, and Member States Ministries of Health, IGAD has supported predictive malaria modelling that incorporates climate data, leading to the formation of a regional Technical Working Group on Vector Space Modelling. This work is conducted in collaboration with Africa Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organisation, and other institutions. It reflects IGAD’s leadership in cross-border health coordination, especially in high-risk areas.
The outcomes of these efforts contribute to broader strategic alignment with the African Union’s Digital One Health Platform. IGAD’s integration of data systems and digital tools, particularly from ICPAC and ICPALD, enables harmonized information sharing across countries and regions. This supports the development of a comprehensive and accessible One Health dashboard for Africa. In addition to strengthening digital infrastructure, IGAD is working with partners to scale up training and capacity building to ensure wider uptake of these tools.
With its combined expertise in cross-border coordination, digital health innovation, and climate resilience, IGAD is uniquely positioned to promote animal welfare as a cornerstone of Africa’s sustainable development. Through its continued engagement and strategic partnerships, IGAD remains committed to building a healthy, resilient, and environmentally secure future for all.
