CHAMWE KAIRA
The European Union is assessing Namibia’s foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak and any measures needed to protect animal and public health in the European Union (EU), EU Ambassador to Namibia Ana Beatriz Martins said on Wednesday.
Martins said the EU had been informed of the outbreak and commended Namibian authorities for what she described as a swift, transparent and professional response.
“The European Union’s health and food safety services are assessing the situation and any measures needed to safeguard animal and citizens’ health within the EU,” she said.
She said FMD is highly contagious and can have serious consequences for livestock, farmers’ livelihoods and the wider economy.
“We stand ready to engage with the Namibian government and veterinary authorities,” Martins said, adding that the EU would provide further updates as more information becomes available.
Namibia earned N$2,1 billion in foreign exchange from beef exports in 2025. Before the FMD outbreak, Namibia had remained the only African country with concurrent beef export access to the United States, China, Norway and the European Union.
The EU statement comes as the FMD Support Fund announced that more than N$1.5 million worth of biosecurity products, surveillance kits and camping equipment had been mobilised for Namibia’s FMD response.
The fund said the supplies were provided by Agra, CYMOT, Agrimark and SWAVET following an urgent request for support.
The equipment has been used to equip 30 Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS) teams deployed to the field, according to the fund.
The DVS is conducting surveillance and testing in remote areas of the //Kharas Region, where FMD has been confirmed.
The FMD Support Fund said it would continue supporting the DVS while working with the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN), organised agriculture and private-sector partners.
The fund was established following concerns over the increasing number of FMD outbreaks in southern Africa and the potential threat to Namibia’s livestock industry.
The initiative was conceptualised in November 2025 and officially launched on 26 February 2026 by agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform minister Inge Zaamwani.
It brings together Namibia’s four national farmers’ unions, the Namibia Agricultural Union, Namibia Emerging Commercial Farmers Union, Namibia National Farmers Union and Previously Disadvantaged Namibian Farmers Union, alongside private-sector stakeholders, the LLPBN, DVS and the government.
The fund was formally incorporated with the Business and Intellectual Property Authority on 28 July 2026 as a Section 21 company not for gain.
At its launch, about N$11 million was pledged, against an initial fundraising target of N$50 million to support FMD awareness, prevention, preparedness and rapid response measures.
The fund said the current outbreak had shifted its focus from preparedness to active response.
The fund’s financial sponsors include Bank Windhoek, FirstRand Foundation, Feedmaster, Namib Mills, DAS Group, Santam, Namibia Wildlife Ranches and Sinclair Services.
The fund said it was seeking additional support towards its more than N$50 million fundraising target for immediate FMD response needs.
