March 12, 2020 (Khartoum) The Sudanese Minister of Animal Resources, Dr. Alam Al-Din Abdullah Abashar, has affirmed the control of Rift Valley Fever, announcing the start of technical procedures for re-export of livestock to Saudi Arabia at the end of this March.
Dr. Alam Al-Din Abdullah said that the authorities had managed to control the disease in January 2020, less than three months from its outbreak in a specific outpost in the Red Sea region, pointing out that the World Organization for Animal Health recognized that Sudan was freedom from Rift Valley disease.
Abdullah Abashar revealed that the start of the technical procedures for re-exporting livestock to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is the largest market for Sudanese livestock, was expected to be re-issued at the end of March. Minister of Animal Resources expected that the comprehensive agricultural census to be conducted in the period 2020-2022 will contribute to setting a national strategy for the country’s livestock. The census is a priority for the transitional government, referring to estimates of informal livestock for the states of North Kordofan, which amount to 22 million head of livestock, and West Kordofan 23 million head. The Minister pointed out that the comprehensive agricultural census in the country comes in cooperation with the Central Statistical Organization and the relevant ministries in this field, besides benefiting from technical and financial support from regional and international institutions and organizations and United Nations agencies.