Plan of Action

1. The Secretariat to write to all member countries requesting their nominations for Regional Technical Committee for their response and confirmation by 31 August 2006. Committee members are requested to provide the Secretariat with any and all relevant background information on shea products standardization and related issues, including any product standards or draft standards.

2. The Secretariat to circulate draft regional standards for shea kernel and shea butter, each collated from existing national standards and draft standards, by 10 August for national circulation and editing by members of the Regional Technical Committee.
 
3. The Secretariat to circulate draft regional ‘Codes of Practice’ for processing and handling shea kernel and shea butter, by 10 September for national circulation and editing by members of the Regional Technical Committee.

4. National stakeholder consultations by Regional Technical Committee member institutions are to be carried out by 30 September 2006.

5. All resulting information, documentation, suggested edits to the draft standards and/or other contributions must be received by the Secretariat no later than 30 November 2006.

6. The Secretariat will assemble and compile the resulting documentation into second draft standards for subsequent distribution to the Regional Technical Committee no later than 31 December 2006. Responses in reaction to the same should be received by the Secretariat no later than 30 January 2007.

7. From 02 to 04 July 2007, the Regional Technical Committee will be convened to finalise the Africa Regional Standards for shea kernel and shea butter.