Gaborone, 22 May 2026 – South Africa and Botswana are moving to accelerate the regional response to foot-and-mouth disease. The two countries have adopted a 2026–2028 Action Plan aimed at strengthening cross-border cooperation against this highly contagious animal disease, which continues to threaten livestock, rural livelihoods and agricultural trade in Southern Africa.
The agreement was endorsed during the sixth session of the South Africa–Botswana Bi-National Commission, held in Gaborone on 21 May 2026. It provides for the urgent implementation of coordinated interventions, including cross-border vaccination campaigns, strengthened surveillance, maintenance of border fences, improved diagnostic capacity and joint training for livestock farmers.
According to South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, no country can fight foot-and-mouth disease alone. The disease does not recognise borders and requires a collective response built around biosecurity, traceability and the management of animal movements. The plan covers strategic border areas such as Lobatse–Mahikeng and Francistown–Musina, which are considered priority zones for the prevention and management of transboundary animal diseases.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a serious and highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed animals. According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), the disease has a major economic impact, disrupts livestock production and severely affects regional and international trade in animals and animal products.
Beyond animal health, the agreement between Pretoria and Gaborone also addresses livestock traceability and the fight against livestock theft. The two countries plan to establish a cross-border task force against livestock theft by September 2026, as well as mutual recognition of animal traceability systems.
This initiative comes at a time when Southern Africa is seeking to build a more coherent regional approach to foot-and-mouth disease. The issue is expected to feature among the priorities of the next SADC Agriculture Ministerial Meeting, scheduled for 29 May 2026 in Zimbabwe, with the aim of advancing a unified regional strategy for the control and eradication of the disease.
For AfricaVET, this joint plan marks an important step forward. It highlights the need to move from national outbreak management to integrated regional biosecurity, capable of protecting livestock keepers, securing markets and strengthening the resilience of livestock systems in Southern Africa.
