African Union - Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (IBAR)

The African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) provides leadership in the development of animal resources for Africa. By supporting and empowering the African Union (AU) Member States and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), AU-IBAR's vision is that of an Africa free from hunger and poverty in which animal resources make a significant contribution within the global arena.

Founded in 1951 to study the epidemiological situation and fight rinderpest in Africa, AU-IBAR's mandate covers all aspects of animal resources, including livestock, fisheries and wildlife, across the entire African continent. At the same time AU-IBAR fills a unique and strategic niche by working at the continental and regional levels, with the RECs being key partners.

AU-IBAR was founded on an important principle that guides everything we do, i.e. the principle of subsidiarity; animal resources-related activities should be undertaken at the most local level possible, with AU-IBAR assuming responsibility for those areas that national and regional bodies are unable to address, or for which AU-IBAR enjoys a clear comparative and strategic advantage.

By providing a pool of expertise that can be accessed by the RECs and AU Member States, AU-IBAR will help to avoid duplication of effort and ensure more effective resource utilization.

An important area of focus is the development and promotion of common African positions within the global animal resources arena. Meanwhile, animal resources-based trade within Africa is facilitated through harmonization of policies and regulation between AU Member States.

Being a specialised technical office of the African Union Commission (AUC), AU-IBAR enjoys unique convening power, and is a critical instrument for advocacy; it is able to bring together animal resources policies and decision-makers from the AU Member States, including at ministerial level or higher. This means it is very well placed to translate technical recommendations into national, regional and continent-wide policies and practices, and to achieve real impact on the lives and livelihoods of those who depend on Africa's animal resources.