CELEP invited to speak about Covid-19 to European Parliament’s Development Committee

On 3 December 2020, upon invitation of the European Parliament (EP), the European Focal Point of CELEP, Koen Van Troos, took part in a parliamentary session organised by the EP Development Committee. Koen explained how the current crisis related to the outbreak of COVID-19 is affecting pastoralists in Eastern Africa. In May 2020, CELEP had issued a statement on the global response of the European Union (EU) to the outbreak of the pandemic. Koen’s intervention in the EP was based on this statement and highlighted the necessary short-term and longer-term responses adapted to the pastoral context, and the need for the EU to ensure that the rights of pastoralists in African partner countries of the EU are recognised – above all, the rights to move with their herds to access pasture and water and to sell animals and milk. Koen also used the opportunity to stress the importance of an EU commitment to approving the proposed United Nations International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP). You can watch the presentation and discussion in the Parliament in the Youtube video shown above.

Posted on 7 December 2020 in CELEP Documents, News, Pastoralism, Mobility & Land Tenure, Pastoralist Livelihoods & Nutrition, Video, Videos about Pastoralism