The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Egypt

On October 3, 2006, the then Australian Minister for Agriculture Peter McGauran and Egyptian Agriculture Minister Amin Abaza signed two MOUs to determine the handling and conditions for Australian animals upon arrival in Egypt. The MOUs signaled the recommencement of live export to Egypt after the suspension in February 2006 due to cruelty to cattle at Bassateen abattoir in Cairo.

Minister McGauran said the Egyptian Minister had provided assurances that the health and welfare of Australian livestock exported to Egypt would be protected in line with the MOU and agreed international standards. [see http://www.maff.gov.au/releases/06/06014pm.htm]

The first MOU is to ensure Australian animals are offloaded from ships into a quarantine feedlot in the event of a trade or animal health related dispute.

The second MOU related specifically to the handling of all Australian animals after arrival in Egypt, with additional specific requirements for Australian cattle.

The requirements in these MOU's are now formalized in a new Export Order for Livestock to Egypt. The Order prohibits the export of livestock to Egypt except for cattle. And cattle export is only allowed if the cattle are killed at a single accredited abattoir in Egypt.

MOU Requirements (Slaughtering and Handling of Australian Live Animals)

For all animals:

• Egypt to implement measures fully consistent with international animal welfare standards established by the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) (see below).
  
• Loading, unloading, transport, lairaiging, restraining and slaughter in Egypt ‘must be carried out without causing undue distress’.
  
• Methods of restraint ‘causing avoidable suffering will not be permitted’.
  
• The Egyptian General Organisation for Veterinary Services (GOVS) to ensure that Australian animals are provided at all times with -
  i) management and faciIities to prevent pain, injury and disease;
  ii) protection from other factors causing unnecessary fear and distress; and
  iii) facilities necessary for dealing appropriately with the behaviour of animals.
• Holding facilities for Australian live animals must protect fully the welfare of the animals, have suitable unloading and loading ramps, and have suitable handling facilities.
  
• A suitably qualified person (approved jointly by Australia and Egypt) would audit the practices and procedures of the animal handling facilities and slaughter houses against documentation reflecting the detailed requirements of the MOU. All initial shipments will be subject to this scrutiny.

For Australian cattle in Egypt (N.B. cattle export to Egypt has not yet resumed):
In addition to the above, Australian cattle will:

• have electronic tags and be registered upon arrival in Egypt;
• cattle to travel within Egypt with GOVS movement permits;
  
• be slaughtered only in (3) approved abattoirs using a restraint device; and
• at Bassetin abattoir in Egypt be observed by a ‘suitably qualified person’.

OIE requirements

The OIE is the World Animal Health Organisation, based in Paris and representing 167 member countries, including Egypt (see www.oie.int).

In 2006 the OIE adopted 4 animal welfare Guidelines under it’s Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Section ‘3.7 Animal Welfare’ of the OIE Animal Health Code, establish ‘international animal welfare standards’. The relevant sections are;

• 3.7.3. Guidelines for the Transport of Animals by Land, and
  
• 3.7.5. Guidelines for the Slaughter of Animals,

which encompass handling and housing of the animals.
[See: http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/mcode/en_titre_3.7.htm]

Animals Australia's investigations since the MOU documented that the MOU requirements were routinely breached. These investigations resulted in the new Egypt Export Order which only allows the export of cattle (no other animals) to Egypt and only when killed at a single accredited abattoir. To date (November 2009) no cattle has been send.

Relevant aspects of the OIE Guidelines which are routinely breached in Egypt include:

• Competent animal handlers, and only humane handling of animals (3.7.3.2, 3.7.3.3, 3.7.5.1) permitted
• Appropriate transport vehicles (3.7.3.4) and trained people to load animals (3.7.3.2)
• Transport vehicles to have ventilation and bedding (3.7.3.4), and animals to have room in a vehicle to adopt a normal lying position (3.7.3.6)
  
• People loading animals to do it without noise or force or harassment (3.7.3.7)
  
• Ramps and unloading races to be available and used (3.7.5.3) to avoid escape, fear and injury.
  
• Painful procedures, physical force, implements not to be used to move animals (3.7.3.7)
  
• The throwing or dropping of animals, or their lifting or dragging by body parts… tails, head, horns, ears, limbs, wool, hair etc, not permitted. (3.7.5.2)
  
• Conscious animals not to be thrown or dragged (3.7.5.2)
• Loud, sudden noises, shouting, not to occur (at abattoirs, holding areas) (3.7.5.1-3)
  
• Methods of restraint causing avoidable suffering… should not be used in conscious animals because they cause severe pain and stress - such as the following – mechanical clamping of an animal’s legs or feet, … cutting leg tendons… (3.7.5.2 & 10)
  
• During the slaughter of animals, a very sharp knife must be used, the point of the knife must remain outside the incision during the cut (3.7.5.9)
  

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