THE FAO/WHO REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON FOOD SAFETY FOR AFRICA,
Recalling the discussions held on the need to elaborate a strategic plan for food safety adapted to Africa in various fora such as the 15th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAfrica- Kampala, Uganda, November 2002) and the First FAO/WHO Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators (GF1-Marrakech, Morocco, January 2002).
Recognizing that:
food safety is an essential element in food security and is necessary for the health and well-being of the people of Africa;
the food safety systems in most countries of the region currently have limited capacity to effectively ensure the safety of domestically produced and imported foods for the protection of the health of consumers;
in order to take full advantage of international food trade opportunities, countries of the region must ensure the safety of the food that they produce;
Considering that:
the difficulties that exist in most of the countries of the region are similar and that efforts to improve food safety must be combined in order to utilize the synergies that are afforded by the sharing of experiences and resources available in the countries of the region;
it is the responsibility of the countries of the region to undertake such activities as are needed to ensure the safety of food; to provide financial and political support to national and subregional governmental and non-governmental agencies engaged in improving food safety; and to ensure national, subregional and regional coordination of necessary activities;
strengthening the cooperation within and between food safety authorities, at the national, subregional and regional levels, is a prerequisite to food security, consumers’ health and increased food trade opportunities;
1. Recommends the Five-Year Strategic Plan for Food Safety in Africa attached hereto;
2. Requests FAO and WHO to transmit this Resolution and the attached Recommended Five-Year Strategic Plan for Food Safety in Africa to their relevant Governing Bodies for endorsement and to other Specialized Agencies of the United Nations and relevant international institutions, in particular the African Union, for their consideration;
3. Requests donor governments, other specialized agencies, international and regional financial institutions to support the countries of the region in the implementation of the Strategic Plan, through the provision of necessary funds, in-kind support (direct technical assistance, twinning projects, etc) and by ensuring coordination and collaboration with other ongoing bi-lateral and multi-lateral projects in the region;
4. Urges Governments of the region to give effect to the principles of the Strategic Plan by according higher priority to food safety, to support and participate in the implementation of the Strategic Plan and to make every effort to mobilize the necessary resources to implement the plan;
5. Urges FAO and WHO member countries to support, and actively participate as appropriate, the follow-up committee established through this Recommended Five-Year Strategic Plan for Food Safety in Africa.
(Adopted 6 October 2005)
