Ministry denies that Red Line cannot be removed
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has dismissed reports suggesting it has declared the removal of the Veterinary Cordon Fence (VCF), commonly known as the Red Line, to be impossible.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministry said media reports had misinterpreted a presentation made to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Urban and Rural Development and Land Reform.
“At no point during the presentation, or at any other time, did the ministry state that the removal of the Veterinary Cordon Fence is impossible,” it said.
The ministry reiterated that government policy remains the gradual removal of the Red Line, in line with resolutions adopted at the Second National Land Conference.
According to the ministry, the presentation to the parliamentary committee focused on progress made towards implementing that resolution, including investments in veterinary infrastructure, quarantine facilities, abattoirs and veterinary services.
It also highlighted the implementation of Commodity-Based Trade, aimed at expanding market access for livestock producers in the Northern Communal Areas, as well as ongoing reviews of the policies, legislation, and technical frameworks needed to support the phased removal of the fence.
The ministry warned, however, that removing the Veterinary Cordon Fence too quickly could expose the country to serious animal diseases, including Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP).
Such a move, it said, could jeopardise Namibia's internationally recognised animal health status and threaten the country's livestock export industry.
To avoid these risks, the ministry said several conditions must first be met before the fence can be removed.
These include strengthening disease-control systems, establishing an effective animal movement barrier along the Namibia-Angola border, improving veterinary infrastructure and livestock marketing systems, and securing international recognition of a new Foot and Mouth Disease-free zone for the Northern Communal Areas.
“The gradual removal of the Veterinary Cordon Fence remains government policy and continues to guide our interventions,” the ministry said.
It added that the process would be implemented “responsibly, scientifically, and in a manner that safeguards animal health, protects farmers' livelihoods, and preserves Namibia's valuable livestock export markets”.
