Windhoek:The European Union has commended Namibia for its prompt and transparent reaction to a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak, highlighting the effective measures taken by the country's veterinary authorities to contain the highly contagious disease.

According to Namibia Press Agency, EU Ambassador to Namibia Ana Beatriz Martins acknowledged the professional handling of the outbreak, which was confirmed at a commercial farm in the Karasburg district of the ||Kharas Region on 23 September. She emphasized that Namibia's swift response and transparency were commendable.

The EU expressed its readiness to continue collaborating with the Namibian Government and veterinary services to manage the outbreak and safeguard farmers' livelihoods. The EU is also evaluating additional support options for Namibia during this challenging period.

Namibia promptly notified the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and implemented movement controls and an export ban on cloven-hoofed animals and their products. As a result, WOAH suspended Namibia's FMD-free status effective from 22 September 2026.

Following the outbreak, the EU has suspended the import of fresh meat from cattle, sheep, and goats, as well as certain processed meat products, including biltong and jerky, from Namibia's previously FMD-free zone. These restrictions, aiming to protect animal health, were published in the Official Journal of the European Union, with 23 September set as the cut-off date for the entry of affected commodities.

Fresh meat consignments certified by Namibia before the outbreak may still be admitted into the EU for 90 days, subject to EU regulations and decisions by individual member states' border control posts. The EU underscored that these measures are precautionary and do not impact Namibia's preferential trade access under the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement.

Ambassador Martins assured ongoing EU monitoring of the epidemiological situation in collaboration with Namibia and indicated that the restrictions would be reviewed as the animal-health conditions improve.