The UAE Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is due to lift within the next few days a ban on import of livestock from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, according to Abdullah Sultan, the ministry's director of animal resources.
The decision to lift the ban came following a visit by a technical delegation of the ministry to Pakistan to observe the standard of veterinary healthcare, in accordance with the Gulf states’ policy to work under a uniform system of livestock imports, Sultan has told Khaleej Times daily.
"The Rift Valley disease that usually spreads during specific periods in a year prompted us to stop importing livestock from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia”.
"After observing that the hygienic and veterinary medical care conformed to the international levels we decided to lift the ban. The decision will come into force in a few days," he added.
The official said that the AGCC states had formulated a unified law in June last year that would be enforced in the year 2003. Under the law, a single gateway will be set up for all livestock entering Gulf countries.
There are also plans, Sultan conveyed, to establish an information network amongst the AGCC countries to monitor common diseases and exchange information.
"The law will specify unified health standards for setting up and managing animal quarantines," Sultan expressed. (Albawaba.com)
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