Focal Point Information

E-mail:

[email protected]

Country:

Eritrea

Organization/agency name (Full name):

Hamelmalo Agricultural College

Contact person name:

Tecleab Misgna

Website:

Physical full address:

Hamelmalo Agricultural College, P.O.Box 397, Keren, Eritrea

Phone number:

+2917126617

Fax number:

Country introduction

Summary:

Biotechnology and safety regulation is still at its infant stage in Eritrea. Regulatory frameworks for regulatingGM food safety are yet to be developed.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Land, Water and Environment, and research and training institutions such as Hamelmalo Agricultural College among others, are the major government institutions which have concerns on GM food safety.

Eritrea, through the national agricultural research system, has been conducting different biotechnological tools to assist researches. These include tissue culture activities, medicinal crops research and animal diagnostic activities through the molecular laboratory in the Ministry
of Agriculture, National Agricultural Research Institute in Halhale and Hamelmalo Agricultural College.

Framework

Regulatory framework:

My country is in the process in developing a regulatory framework that requires the competent authority to conduct safety assessment of GM food.

Structure for GM food safety assessment:

My country is in the process in developing a structure for GM food safety assessment.

Supplemental information:

In Eritrea the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Land, Water and Environment and research and training institutions such as Hamelamalu Agricultural College are the relevant institutions that should develop policies and regulatory framework about GM food safety

Contact details of the competent authority(s) responsible for the safety assessment and the product applicant:

Department of Regulatory Services Tel: +291-1 120395, Fax: 127508, P.O. Box 1160 Asmara, Eritrea

Email: Tekleab Mesghena [email protected]

Assessment

GM food safety assessment guidelines:

My country does not conduct safety assessment of GM food but the country has, or the country is in the process of developing national/regional guidelines that are not in line with the Codex Guidelines in conducting safety assessment of GM food.

Conduct of GM food safety assessment:

My country has never conducted safety assessment of GM food and will not (be able to) conduct such assessment in the near future.

Supplemental information on the implementation:

Eritrea so far does not at the moment have any capacity to conduct safety assessment of GM food.

Stacked events

Regulation of stacked events:

There is no regulations in my country on stacked events.

Supplemental information on the stacked events:

Production and trade

GM food/feed production:

My country does not produce any GM food or feed.

GM food/feed imports:

My country does not import any GM food or feed (banned).

Supplemental information on the production and trade:

Eritrea never imports GM food or feed.

LLP/AP incidents

LLP/AP incidents:

My country does not monitor LLP/AP situations.

Supplemental information on the LLP/AP incidents:

Labelling requirement

Labelling requirement:

My country does not have any labeling regulations/policies on GM food.

Supplemental information on the Labelling requirement:

Eritrea has not yet developed regulations/policies on GM food labeling.

Relevant links to documents and information prepared by the competent authority responsible for the safety assessment