In all cases, transhumant herds must be accompanied by a minimum of two herdsmen. There must be a minimum of one herdsman of every fifty head of cattle. The number of herdsmen is determined by the number of heads of cattle. Article 11 The herd must be guarded by sufficient number of herdsmen during migration. Article 10 CHAPTER IV SUPERVISION OF NOMADIC LIVESTOCK Transhumance livestock must be under constant guard, both while on the move and during grazing. Article 9 Without prejudice to the sanctions provided for in the laws of the country concerned, herds not covered by a certificate shall be placed under quarantine and the costs borne by the owners. Article 8 There shall be no crossing of borders during the night. Article 7 Transhumance herds shall follow the routes defined by Member States in accordance with the itinerary indicated on the ECOWAS International Transhumance Certificate. Article 6 The official document defined in Article 5 above shall be verified and counter-signed by the competent authorities at the entry and exit points in the host country. It is issued by the livestock department and initiated by the local administrative authorities in the country of origin. 4ĥ The certificate contains details on the composition of the herd, the vaccinations given, the itinerary of the herds, the border posts to be crossed, and the final destination. The aims of the certificate are: to enable authorities to monitor the herds before they leave the country of origin to protect the health of local herds to make it possible to inform the host communities of the arrival of transhumance animals. CHAPTER III Article 5 CONDITIONS FOR MOVEMENT OF ANIMALS All transhumance livestock shall be allowed free passage across points of entry into and departure from each country on the condition that they have the ECOWAS International Transhumance Certificate, a sample of which is annexed to this Regulation. Article 4 This Decision shall not apply to animals that are taken from one country to another to be sold or animals not referred to in Article 3 above. Article 3 CHAPTER II OBJECT AND SCOPE All animals of the bovine, caprine, cameline, equine plus asinine species shall be allowed free passage across the borders of all Member States, under the conditions set out in this Decision. Also included in this category are animals grazing in national parks or game reserves, even when they are under the supervision of a herdsman. 3Ĥ Article 2 For the purpose of this Decision: transhumance between States means the seasonal movement between Member States of herds leaving their usual grazing areas in search of water and pasture quarantine means the act to placing animals entering a particular region under veterinary observation with a view to determining their state of health stray animals means animals that are allowed to move around freely or in parks without the supervision of a herdsman. 35 of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) English Edition October 1998 Twenty-first conference of heads of states Decision A/DEC.5/10/98 Relating to the regulations on Transhumance between ECOWAS Member States Abuja, 31 st Octoberģ DECISION A/DEC.5/10/98 RELATING TO THE REGULATION ON TRANSHUMANCE BETWEEN ECOWAS MEMBER STATES THE CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF STATES, MINDFUL of Articles 7, 8 and 9 of the Revised Treaty on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) establishing the conference of Heads of States and defining its composition and functions MINDFUL of Article 25 of the Treaty relating to cooperation between Member States to ensure agricultural development and to achieve food security CONVINCED that the development of livestock breeding is an integral part of any food security policy AWARE that livestock breeding in Member States is faced with numerous technical, climatic, legal and socio-economic constraints CONVINCED also that, given the current situation of the resources available in ECOWAS Member States, transhumance is essential for safeguarding and increasing agricultural production AWARE that transhumance is however, a source of health, social, environmental, economic and political problems DESIRING to enhance the environment for livestock breeding in Member States and to formulate, for that purpose, a harmonious regulation on transhumance within the Community ON THE RECOMMENDATION of the 43 rd Session of the Council of Ministers held in Abuja from 23 rd the 28 th October, 1998 DECIDES CHAPTER I DEFINITIONS Article 1 This Decision sets out the main principles of the rules governing transhumance within ECOWAS Member States.
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