Angola bans cattle imports from Namibia

THE Angolan government banned imports of live animals, meat and genetic materials from Namibia on Wednesday because of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in north-eastern Namibia.

Angolan agriculture minister Pedro Kanga told reporters in Luanda about the cabinet decision yesterday. “The International Organisation of Animal Health informed our government about the occurrence of the disease in Namibia, in the Caprivi Region,” Kanga said, “and imports of livestock and their genetic materials are stopped,” the Angolan news agency Angop quoted the minister.Namibia’s Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Otto Huebschle, confirmed the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in a village 90 kilometres east of Katima Mulilo last week, but said he was unaware of Angola’s move.”Botswana’s border is close by but they have not closed their border,” Huebschle told The Namibian yesterday, “and so far Angolan authorities have not informed us about them banning the import of live animals and their genetic materials.”Huebschle said the area had been cordoned off and a comprehensive vaccination campaign was under way.”Animals at a second village nearby were also found with symptoms,” he said.A group of 23 cattle had shown lesions indicating the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease, which causes painful blisters on the animal’s mouths, hooves and teats.Officials have so far vaccinated 12 000 cattle in the area and 18 000 more are targeted.The disease broke out in the Sesheke area in Zambia along the border with Namibia and it is alleged that cattle rustling might have spread it to Namibia.”The International Organisation of Animal Health informed our government about the occurrence of the disease in Namibia, in the Caprivi Region,” Kanga said, “and imports of livestock and their genetic materials are stopped,” the Angolan news agency Angop quoted the minister.Namibia’s Director of Veterinary Services, Dr Otto Huebschle, confirmed the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in a village 90 kilometres east of Katima Mulilo last week, but said he was unaware of Angola’s move.”Botswana’s border is close by but they have not closed their border,” Huebschle told The Namibian yesterday, “and so far Angolan authorities have not informed us about them banning the import of live animals and their genetic materials.”Huebschle said the area had been cordoned off and a comprehensive vaccination campaign was under way.”Animals at a second village nearby were also found with symptoms,” he said.A group of 23 cattle had shown lesions indicating the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease, which causes painful blisters on the animal’s mouths, hooves and teats.Officials have so far vaccinated 12 000 cattle in the area and 18 000 more are targeted.The disease broke out in the Sesheke area in Zambia along the border with Namibia and it is alleged that cattle rustling might have spread it to Namibia.