En 1999, la la 23e session de la Commission du Codex Alimentarius a créé le Comité régional de coordination pour le Proche-Orient, qui regroupe les pays de la région Proche-Orient (pour la FAO) et de la région de la Méditerranée orientale (pour l’OMS). Le Comité a organisé sa première session au Caire (Égypte) en 2001.
Le Coordonnateur régional actuel pour le Proche-Orient opère au sein du Centre de sécurité sanitaire et de qualité des aliments du Ministère de l’agriculture, des richesses halieutiques et des ressources en eau à Mascate (Sultanat d’Oman).
Au travers de ses rôles de Coordonnateur régional pour le Proche-Orient et de Président du Comité régional du Codex FAO/OMS de coordination pour le Proche-Orient, le Sultanat d’Oman a défini les objectifs suivants:
- intensifier les efforts pour promouvoir une participation efficace des pays membres et de toutes les parties prenantes, y compris les producteurs, les consommateurs et les organisations gouvernementales et non gouvernementales pertinentes de la région Proche-Orient, aux débats du Codex Alimentarius;
- continuer à mettre en place et à renforcer les capacités nationales au sein des États membres et des organisations régionales pour favoriser une participation efficace dans le cadre de l’élaboration de normes alimentaires internationales;
- s’assurer que le développement des normes du Codex Alimentarius, au niveau mondial, tienne compte des spécificités de la production et de la consommation alimentaires dans la région du Proche-Orient;
- promouvoir l’adoption et l’utilisation des normes du Codex pour prendre des décisions nationales de réglementation alimentaire au sein des États membres de la région. Cela aura une incidence positive sur la santé des consommateurs et facilitera le commerce de produits alimentaires aux niveaux régional et international, et contribuera davantage à l’essor de la production alimentaire dans la région, avec une compétitivité accrue à la fois sur le plan régional et sur le plan international.
On the sidelines of the 48th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), hosted a high-level side event titled "From Code to Codex: AI’s Role in Shaping the Future of Food Safety."
Held at FAO Headquarters in Rome, the session brought together Codex leaders and international experts to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping global food safety systems, from inspection and regulatory control to traceability, risk [...]
By the CCNE Coordinator and IUFoST
As part of the preparations for the 48th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC48), the Coordinator for the Near East (the Sultanate of Oman) convened a stakeholder engagement session held virtually on 27 October 2025, in conjunction with the 43rd regional coordination meeting of the Arab Codex Initiative.
The consultation emphasized the importance of inclusive participation—bringing together regulators, industry representatives, and regional organizations—to ensure well-informed and cohesive regional positions in Codex deliberations. Participants exchanged views [...]
by CCNE Coordinator and IUFoST
The 41st and 42nd meetings of Codex Contact Points (CCPs) from CCNE member countries were held virtually on 9 and 16 October 2025, chaired by Dr. Intisar Al-Gharibi, CCNE Coordinator from the Sultanate of Oman, under the umbrella of the Arab Codex Initiative implemented by the Arab Industrial Development, Standardization and Mining Organization (AIDSMO) — a Codex Observer — and the Global Food Regulatory Science Society (GFoRSS), the disciplinary group of IUFoST.
The 41st meeting focused on [...]
by the Sultanate of Oman and IUFoST
A side event entitled “Novel foods and novel ingredients in the Near East: Unlocking innovation through regulation” was held on the margins of the Twelfth Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for the Near East (CCNE12) in Muscat, Oman.
Co-organized by the Sultanate of Oman and the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) through its disciplinary group, the Global Food Regulatory Science Society (GFoRSS), the session explored how Codex principles can guide modernization [...]
The 12th session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for the Near East has concluded in Muscat, Oman. In wrapping up Waleed Al-ma’amari, Codex Contact Point, the Sultanate of Oman, thanked everyone involved in the meeting for their collaboration, which “contributed directly to the successes of the 12th session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for the Near East”. That this meeting is the first in the region for 10 years reinforces the “commitment of the Sultanate of Oman and CCNE Members [...]
The 12th session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for the Near East has opened in Muscat, Oman – the first time this Committee has met in the region for more than 10 years. “But today we meet again,” said Dr Hussein bin Samh al Masroori, Director-General of the Centre for Food Safety and Quality in Oman, in his welcome remarks, “not only to continue the journey, but also to chart a more ambitious future for food safety and quality in [...]
Oman is set to host the 12th session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Near East (CCNE12), which will take place in Muscat from 28 September to 2 October 2025. This marks the first time in over a decade that the meetingwill be held in the region, with its new Chairperson, Intisar Al-Gharibi, at the helm. In this new role, Intisar Al-Gharibi aims to foster a new era of engagement and collaboration: her goal is to ensure the Near East becomes a [...]
In Iraq, the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control (COSQC), in collaboration with Karwanchi Group held a symposium titled "World Food Safety Day and its role in promoting food standards and specifications" on Monday 28 July 2025, to mark World Food Safety Day 2025.
The symposium focused on the importance of food safety in protecting public health and enhancing the quality of food products, as well as the role of food standards in protecting consumer rights, promoting trust, and ensuring [...]
Under the theme "Food Safety: Science in Action", the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (FAO RNE) and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO EMR) are pleased to invite you to a special joint webinar exploring the principles and guidelines for National Food Control System (NFCS), giving special insights from the FAO/WHO NFCS assessment tool.
Date: Monday 25 AugustTime: 11:00 Cairo TimeWebinar Title: Building Robust National Food Control Systems: Insights from the FAO/WHO Food [...]
Under the theme "Food Safety: Science in Action", the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (FAO RNE) and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO EMR) are hosting a special joint webinar exploring the future of food safety and innovation, under title: Innovative Science in Action: Tackling Novel Food (Cell-based Meat and Novel Food Proteins).
Date: Monday, 11 August 2025 Time: 11:00 – 12:30 (Cairo Time) Format: Virtual Panel + Live Q&ARegister here: https://fao.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0_4Odvm4ReqqwxX2DsBwbQ
This session will delve into the [...]