The African Union/Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU/IBAR) is the catalytic and policy organ of the African Union responsible for animal resources in Africa. It works closely with governments, international agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and donors in all aspects of livestock health and production. In addition to implementing continent-wide programmes, AU/IBAR plays a crucial role in leading policy debate and encouraging policy harmonisation.

During the Pan African Rinderpest Campaign (PARC), which ran from 1986 to 1999, AU/IBAR was active in promoting veterinary privatisation in Africa. At that time, the idea of privatisation was relatively new and it took a while to persuade governments that reform of veterinary services made sense. Some of the national PARC programmes included a privatisation component and activities tended to focus on the so-called ‘high potential’ areas. In some countries, the importation of veterinary drugs was liberalised and, with support from PARC, private practices began to emerge in urban and peri-urban areas. However, the main success of PARC regarding privatisation was that governments began to realise that policy and legislative changes were required to support the emerging private sector

Link to the research: Private veterinary practice in pastoralist areas of eastern Africa