The National Codex Committee of Nigeria, in collaboration with FAO Nigeria, under the sponsorship of the Codex Trust Fund, held a two-day regional workshop from 26to 27July 2022 in Lagos, Nigeria to create awareness on the importance of using Codex Standards for farmers, processors, small and medium enterprises, and to train local journalists on the reporting of Codex activities. With more than 65 participants in attendance, the general objective of the workshop was to spread information and awareness on Codex Alimentarius [...]

The Codex Strategic Plan 2020-2025 incorporated a new goal on recognition and use of Codex texts. Key to achieving this goal and monitoring progress is data on the use and impact of Codex texts. To collect such data the Codex Secretariat will launch a survey to all Members in September 2022. Previously, data on the use of Codex Standards has been collected by the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committees. Codex Secretary Tom Heilandt recalls that “we have learned a lot from these efforts, [...]

by the Codex Contact Point of Liberia   The fourth meeting of the National Codex Committee (NCC) of Liberia was held on the 25 July 2022 at the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL). The NCC meeting, which is held quarterly, brings together key national actors from both the private and public sector to discuss and take action on Codex work and food safety. The meeting opened with several statements from stakeholders. In his opening remarks Walter Sayor, President of the National [...]

The World Health Organization (WHO) supported Timor-Leste in their application to the FAO/WHO Codex Trust Fund Project. The application was approved in 2021 and a Codex orientation workshop was planned as part of the project. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and WHO facilitated this workshop in Baucau city from 13-15 July. Since language is an issue, presentations were translated into Tetun in advance. The workshop was addressed by Odete da Silva Viegas, Director General for Health [...]

By John Oppong-Otoo, Food Safety Officer at AU-IBAR and Hakim Mufumbiro, Regional Coordinator CCAFRICA Nineteen Member States of the African Union (AU) (Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Guinea Equatorial, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo) met between 4 and 6 July 2022 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, as part of an initiative to enhance Codex work management within the Member States on the continent. The regional workshop [...]

A live event held online for Codex Members and Observers on 29 July 2022 provided the first details of what the 45th Codex Alimentarius Commission will look like as a physical session scheduled for Rome beginning 21 November. In opening remarks, the Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Steve Wearne, United Kingdom, said “we have to continue to adapt and continue to address new challenges … and uppermost in my mind is the need to maintain the level of participation we’ve [...]

On 19 and 21 July, El Salvador and Guatemala celebrated the launch of the group Codex Trust Fund project “Food safety and the Codex Alimentarius: impact on productivity and public health in El Salvador and Guatemala.” The launch took place in the presence of the Minister for the Economy (MINEC) and President of the National Quality Council, María Luisa Hayem Brevé, the Director of the Salvadoran Agency for Technical Regulation (OSARTEC), Zaida Guzmán, Codex Secretary Tom Heilandt, and Vice President [...]

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), organized a Regional Meeting on Food Safety Regulation Convergence from 18 to 22 July 2022 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. The meeting was attended by Codex Contact Point Officers, National Plant Health Protection Officers, Chief Veterinary Officers, Private Sector Representatives and other experts from fifteen ECOWAS Member States (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote [...]

The Avocado Packing Company S.A.C. of the Mission South & Central America group celebrated "World Food Safety Day" this year with the motto: "Safe food, better health". Celebrations consisted of sending different flyers to company staff, as well as inviting staff to participate in the "World of Safety" game. This consisted of answering questions related to food safety to advance in the game. Notebooks and pens were given out as prizes for correct answers. The questions were prepared according to the [...]

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) together with national food safety bodies across Europe highlighted their joint communication campaign #EUChooseSafeFood for World Food Safety Day 2022. The focus was to inspire Europeans to make food choices with confidence by raising awareness about the science behind food safety.  The partners also marked World Food Safety Day by  recognising the efforts of food safety actors to safeguard consumer health every day of the year. Among EFSA’s activities were: Cross-promotion with international partners - coordinating [...]