The CCAFRICA Region - Regional Coordinator Uganda
The ‘Coordinating Committee for Africa’ was established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 1972 with a mandate to “exercise general coordination in the preparation of standards relating to the region of Africa”. The committee held its first meeting at FAO in 1974, with 19 countries in attendance.
As the new regional coordinator begins their term, the Agreement of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which came into effect in May 2020, has reinforced the need for an efficient and effective system for managing sanitary and phytosanitary measures, in particular food safety, across the continent as its borders open for trade.
The regional coordinator is based in the Uganda National Bureau of Standards, a statutory body under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Co-operatives which oversees, as part of its mandate, the promotion and use of standards.
As regional coordinator, Uganda intends to engage closely with countries via surveys, webinars and workshops to identify needs and emerging issues, create awareness of priority food safety issues and of Codex standards. A pilot study will also explore the food safety situation in broader terms across the region. By strengthening engagement with regional bodies such as the African Union, the African Organisation for Standardisation and the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, Uganda also aims to enhance advocacy work in the region.
CCAFRICA Coordinator
All information on Codex is public and free.
For regional enquiries contact:
CCAFRICA Secretariat
Uganda National Bureau of Standards Plot 2 - 12, Bypass Link, Industrial
& Business park, Kyaliwajala road,
P.O Box 6329 Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256 (041) 7333250 / 0417333251 / 0417333252
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.unbs.go.ug
Kenya / Increasing engagement in Codex by building up National Committee
Kenya, in an effort to streamline and increase efficiency for participation in Codex work recently reconstituted its National Codex Committee. On Tuesday 2 March 2021, the Codex Contact Point, housed in the Kenya Bureau of Standards held an induction programme for the newly reconstituted committee. “This move was to ensure maximum representation from all key food safety players,” said Maryann Kindiki who is the new Codex Contact Point for Kenya. Among the issues discussed were how the Codex Alimentarius Commission operates, details regarding the independent scientific bodies that provide specialist advice to Codex committees, the role of the National Codex Committee and that of the Codex Contact Point who coordinates all Codex activities within a member country. Participants were also briefed on the set up and operations of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa.
Esther Ngari, Kenya Bureau of Standards (left) and Grace Muchemi, Chairperson of the National Codex Committee
The Codex website is a central hub where users can access all the Codex standards, guidelines and codes of practice that often form the basis of national food safety legislation. The website also contains meeting documents and houses the systems that push out constant updates on work passing through the technical committees. Those attending the induction were shown how to successfully navigate the main areas of the site. “An optimal-performing team understands every member's role and responsibility,” said Kindiki. “We hope that the new team will be able to articulate Codex matters in the country as well as in the region, the ultimate goal being to ensure the safety and health of the citizens and ensure fair practices in food trade”.
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