The FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA) celebrated a significant milestone on 26 January 2026, with the official handover ceremony of the CCAFRICA Coordinator from Uganda to The Gambia. The historic event took place at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre in Banjul, The Gambia.

The ceremony was attended by high-level government officials, international partners, and members of the Codex Alimentarius Commission from across Africa, including the Codex Chairperson. The occasion was graced by the Vice-President of the Republic of The Gambia and other prominent government officials, underscoring the country’s strong commitment to food safety, quality standards and regional cooperation.

During the event, Uganda highlighted key achievements made during its leadership, including strengthened regional collaboration, enhanced participation of African countries in Codex activities, and progress in harmonizing food standards across the continent.

In accepting the role of coordinator, The Gambia reaffirmed its dedication to advancing the objectives of CCAFRICA and supporting member countries in protecting consumer health and ensuring fair practices in the food trade. The new coordination was welcomed with expressions of confidence from Codex Members and international delegates, who emphasized the importance of continuity, inclusiveness, and shared responsibility.

The ceremony also served as a platform for reflection on Africa’s growing role within the global Codex system and the need for sustained collaboration among member states, development partners, and international institutions.

The successful handover marks a new chapter for CCAFRICA, with The Gambia poised to build on past successes while steering the committee toward greater impact and regional integration in food standards setting.

The event was organized by the Food Safety and Quality Authority of The Gambia (FSQA), Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), and supported by African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR). Delegates were drawn from Cabo Verde, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia, and the Codex Secretariat.

At the 48th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, we interviewed Hakim Mufumbiro of Uganda and Mamodou Bah of The Gambia about the handover of the coordinating role:

Read more

News from African region