Namibia: President Nandi-Ndaitwah Addresses Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak and Calls for National Cooperation

What the report says

Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah used a national address to urge cooperation in response to a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the Karasburg Veterinary District of the //Kharas Region. According to the published speech, the outbreak has disrupted the livestock sector, affected farmers and businesses, and raised concerns about livelihoods and trade. The president said government was acting to contain the disease and called on livestock owners, traders, transporters and other stakeholders to follow veterinary instructions and movement controls.

The address said the outbreak was confirmed on 23 September after laboratory testing of samples taken during veterinary surveillance. By 5 October, officials had inspected 29,313 animals across 68 farms, with 127 confirmed positive cases on 15 farms. The response included 20 surveillance teams and 10 roadblocks in the region. Cabinet approved a Critical Containment Response Plan on 4 October, including a buffer zone in the Karasburg district, repairs to the Namibia-Botswana border fence and veterinary cordon fencing in high-risk border areas.

The president also said Namibia was engaging trading partners, including the European Union, to reduce disruption to meat exports, while maintaining veterinary requirements and verified information. She stressed that the outbreak could put pressure on farmers and businesses that rely on loans, and said government would assess those effects. In general terms, foot-and-mouth disease is a contagious animal disease that can lead to major movement restrictions and trade losses, making rapid containment important for the wider economy.