The Coordinator for Near East, Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), is conducting a three-day workshop, 10-12 September 2024, in Riyadh, titled “Empowering the Region for Codex Compliance”. The workshop is part of a series of regional trainings held by Saudi Arabia to support participation of Members of the region in Codex activities and highlight the importance of Codex work among different stakeholders.

In welcoming the participants, H.E. Prof. Hisham Saad AL Jadhey, CEO of SFDA, stressed that “Combined efforts to increase the effective participation of the region’s countries in Codex activities will positively impact the development of international standards and facilitate the exchange of expertise among Member States, thereby improving food safety”. The CEO of SFDA further noted the commitment of Saudi Arabia “to strengthen and elevate collaborative efforts among countries, build capacities, and develop skills to achieve the objectives for which the Codex Alimentarius Commission was established”.

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This event is also allowing CCNE Members to meet in person in the region after a few years and following the challenges of the pandemic: more than 60 participants, from all the 17 Members of the region, are sharing national and regional information related to Codex while listening from different speakers such as FAO and WHO food safety experts, the Codex Secretariat, and Coordinators for the different Codex regions.

“Coordinating committees and coordinators play a fundamental role in defining problems and needs of Codex Members, promoting exchange and coordination and determining if and how these can be addressed in Codex”, commented Sarah Cahill, Codex Secretary, “This workshop provides an excellent opportunity to learn from each other, share knowledge and experiences, identify gaps and challenges and think about a way forward”.

Workshop attendees also acknowledged the value of this training: “There was a need to meet and discuss relevant Codex work in the region with the goal of preparing for its future implementation”, said Mariam Eid, Food Technology Expert, Lebanon. “This is the first time current Coordinators have the opportunity to listen to their counterparts in a workshop, share best practices in engaging their membership and learn from each other”, added Anne Beutling, Coordinator for Europe.

The programme of the workshop includes topics such as opportunities for enhanced regional collaboration, the role of FAO/WHO expert bodies, implementing Codex texts at national level and innovations in food productions systems.

 “This tailored training organized by SFDA for Codex Near East members, with Codex, FAO and WHO, provides Members and stakeholders in the region with a possibility of enhancing their engagement in Codex activities”, concluded Khalid Al Zhrani, Coordinator for Near East, SDFA.

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SFDA Chief Inaugurates Codex Coordinating Committee for the Near East Training Program - SFDA (English and Arabic)

Photo © Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)