In a groundbreaking move for regional veterinary integration, the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) and the Namibian Veterinary Council (NVC) have signed a historic mutual recognition agreement, setting a new precedent for professional mobility and collaboration in Africa.

The agreement, finalized on 14 July 2025 during a meeting held at the SAVC offices in Irene, Pretoria, marks the first reciprocal registration accord between two veterinary statutory bodies on the African continent.

Under this bilateral arrangement, veterinarians trained, certified, and registered through either the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science (Onderstepoort) or the University of Namibia’s School of Veterinary Medicine will be automatically eligible for practice in both South Africa and Namibia. This eliminates the need for duplicative assessments or registration hurdles for professionals who meet the high standards of either country’s accrediting institutions.

Speaking on the significance of this milestone, both councils emphasized the shared values of professional excellence, cross-border cooperation, and workforce mobility. The agreement is seen as a major step toward addressing veterinary workforce gaps in both countries while fostering a unified standard for animal health services in the Southern African region.

The collaboration also reflects growing momentum toward regional harmonization of veterinary qualifications — a move that could open doors for similar partnerships across the continent in the future.