IZSAM and Africa

Since the early 1990s, the Institute has dedicated technical-scientific expertise, human and financial resources to the African continent through scientific collaborations in the fields of animal health and welfare, food safety, epidemiology and information systems management. IZSAM has focused its international activity in the Mediterranean basin and in sub-Saharan Africa, following the establishment of the National Reference Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases (CESME), conferred in 1991 by the Ministry of Health.

The African continent allows a greater knowledge on exotic diseases, finding in those areas material for the study and deepening of diseases that are exotic today but able to reach Europe from one moment to another: at the same time, the IZSAM collects training needs coming from the African countries and requests for support in technical and research activities.

The collaboration agreements with African countries are aimed at protecting human health and the livestock industry, through the transfer of technical knowledge to African laboratories for an accurate understanding, definition and diagnosis of animal diseases and for the consequent improvement of the healthiness of food of animal origin and food safety of populations. The Institute is gradually accompanying the African continent on sustainable development and autonomy, according to the principle of endogenous development.

Working in Africa means promoting a culture of inclusion over exclusion and supremacy, of sharing over ownership of knowledge, with a view to mutual growth. Several IZSAM experts are, or have been, permanently located in research facilities in Algeria, Angola, Namibia, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Taking into consideration the international change in politic, economic and geographical areas, the cooperation becomes the only instrument that can have a positive and lasting impact on current international instability. Africa undoubtedly represents one of the most dynamic blocs in a multipolar world and is a priority for Italy.

The commitment spent in participating in partnership in international research and cooperation projects with developing countries comes from the conviction that the future will be increasingly played out in terms of innovation and development strategies aimed, above all, at consolidating the priority objective: the protection of human health in global terms.

In 2020, the Institute has close relations of cooperation, collaboration and technical assistance with more than 20 African countries. This is enough to understand the relationship, not only professional, that links the Institute to the "black continent" and to add, without fear of denial, that cooperation has always been interpreted in its literal meaning of "action carried out in common" pursuing mutualistic and not speculative aims.