Saudi Arabia is to implement in early February the decision to lift the ban on Sudan’s livestock imports into the Saudi market. Both countries have agreed to form technical committees to reach understandings, in order to facilitate the proper export of livestock to the markets. This step is followed by a three-month suspension due to a report by the World Organization for Animal Health, which indicated detecting Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in Sudan’s domestic animals. The decision was taken after a reappraisal of the epidemiological situation of livestock in Sudan verified that farmed animals in the country were disease-free, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture said in an official statement. It added that a meeting was held with the Sudanese government to approve the latest conditions for all livestock exports from Sudan to the Kingdom. A Saudi official has stressed the Kingdom’s decisiveness when it comes to livestock imports from abroad, as a precaution to prevent the transmission of any deadly virus. The official pointed out that all camels imported are being examined to detect the Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Spokesman for the Saudi Ministry Dr. Abdullah Aba al-Khail told Asharq Al-Awsat the first consignment of Sudanese livestock is received after the end of the 30-day quarantine period in the country of origin. The beginning of this period shall be approved from the date of the issuance of the import permit, and it varies from one importer to another, he explained. “All animal imports to the Kingdom are being examined and all quarantine measures are applied to them, whether from Sudan or elsewhere, and they differ according to the epidemiological status of the exporting country and the international agreements held.” In other news, the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture has launched 12 new services within the Livestock Services System “INAAM Plus”.