Aswan, Egypt - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality (EOS), held today the third training workshop to support the Codex system in Egypt in Aswan Governorate, within the framework of "Improving the National Food Control System” program.

The workshop aims to raise awareness of the Codex program in Egypt in terms of organizational structure, work procedures, the Egyptian Codex Contact Point and the relationship between Codex in Egypt and the Codex Alimentarius Commission, to support effective participation of the different sectors in Egypt's governorates in Codex activities at the national and international level.

Besides FAO and EOS, officials from Cairo, Aswan, Qena, New Valley and Assiut Governorates; the workshop included representatives of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade, the National Food Safety Authority.

In his opening speech, Eng. Ashraf Afify, Chairman of the EOS and Chairman of the Egyptian Codex Committee, said: “This workshop comes within the framework of the project entitled “Enhancing the Egyptian Capacities of Food Trade through an Improved National Food Control System”. Project activities include supporting the Codex System Egypt in collaboration with the Egyptian Codex Unit in the EOS, as EOS is the official representative of Egypt to the Codex Alimentarius Commission since its inception, in order for Egypt to become a pioneer in the Codex at the regional and international level".

"Codex is an open, transparent and comprehensive tool that helps facing the emerging challenges in the food sector, since international standards, code of practices and guidelines issued by Codex, contribute to maintaining and ensuring food safety, which reassures the public that the food eaten is safe, healthy and good.” Kamel Darwish - Codex expert at the FAO said.

The workshop program included the definition of the EOS and Standards issued by it, in addition to a review of the role of scientific research in supporting Codex activities in Egypt and the importance of partnership between the private and government sectors in building the capacity of the Egyptian Codex which will lead to the food safety and ensure fair and impartial practices in the food trade.

"The workshop will include seminars and joint working groups, with the aim of presenting and explaining the Codex procedures to raise the knowledge about the Codex as an international body for setting food safety standards, contributing to a multi-lateral participatory process related to the Egyptian Codex Program and to identifying Codex committees of priority for Egypt." Said Hanan Fouad, Head of the Food Standards Department at EOS and rapporteur of the Egyptian Codex Committee.

Worth mentioning, is that Codex Alimentarius Commission Standards is the reference for resolving commercial disputes regarding food safety as stipulated by the WTO/SPS agreement; it is also used by many Codex Members as a base for developing their national food legislations.