The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has suspended imports of livestock and related animal products from South Africa following a renewed outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), authorities announced.
The decision, communicated by the Congolese Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, immediately halts the issuance of import permits for cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals. The restriction also extends to animal-derived products, including meat, milk, hides and animal feed, as Kinshasa moves to prevent the spread of the highly contagious livestock disease.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a transboundary viral infection that affects cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, often triggering severe economic losses through trade disruptions, reduced productivity and livestock mortality risks. The disease does not typically pose a direct threat to human health but has significant implications for food security and agricultural trade across affected regions.
Congolese authorities said veterinary services have been instructed to strictly enforce the suspension at border crossings and livestock entry points nationwide. Enhanced sanitary inspections are being implemented to ensure compliance, particularly along trade corridors linking southern Africa to Central African markets.
The ministry also announced plans to launch an awareness campaign targeting livestock farmers and traders operating near border areas, especially along the frontier with Zambia. Officials view cross-border animal movement as a major transmission risk requiring tighter surveillance and farmer education.
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Zambia has already taken precautionary measures, closing its borders in mid-February 2026 to livestock imports originating from South Africa after detecting increased regional risk linked to the outbreak.
The import suspension underscores growing concern among African governments over animal disease outbreaks that can quickly disrupt regional agricultural supply chains. Livestock trade remains a critical economic activity for many countries, supporting rural livelihoods, protein supply and informal cross-border commerce.
South African authorities have responded by intensifying disease-control measures, including expanded vaccination campaigns targeting affected cattle populations. Officials have also announced plans to boost domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity as part of a longer-term biosecurity strategy.
Initial local vaccine production is expected to begin in March 2026 at approximately 20,000 doses per week, with output projected to scale up significantly to 200,000 doses weekly by 2027. The move aims to reduce reliance on imported vaccines while strengthening the country’s ability to contain future outbreaks more rapidly.
Agricultural analysts say the DRC’s decision reflects a precautionary approach increasingly adopted across the continent, where livestock diseases can spread rapidly through informal trade networks and seasonal animal migration routes.
For the Democratic Republic of Congo, safeguarding domestic livestock production is particularly important as the country works to expand local meat and dairy supply while reducing dependence on imports. An uncontrolled outbreak could threaten smallholder farmers who form the backbone of the country’s livestock sector.
The duration of the suspension remains uncertain and will depend largely on South Africa’s success in containing the outbreak and restoring internationally accepted animal-health standards. Congolese authorities said they will continue monitoring epidemiological developments before considering any easing of restrictions.
The episode highlights the growing importance of coordinated regional animal-health systems in Africa, where disease outbreaks increasingly influence trade flows, food prices and agricultural resilience across borders.
