The CCNASWP Region
Regional Coordinator Fiji
The 18th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, held in 1989, agreed to establish a new Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific, bringing together, in the words of the New Zealand delegation "far flung countries ... which have many common interests".
CCNASWP is a remarkably diverse region combining fully mature economies such as the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand with 10 small island states. The largest of these is Papua New Guinea (population over 7 million) and the smallest, the Cook Islands and Nauru with populations of around 10 000.
The regional coordinator is based within the Fijian Ministry of Agriculture.
Fiji looks forward to applying standards at the national level and supporting all countries in the region, especially the small island developing states, to establish a sound policy framework for food safety. These initiatives will support improvements in public health, ensure that imported food is safe and of the expected quality and develop increased access to international markets.
The regional coordinator will continue supporting work on regional standards and seeks to strengthen participation of the region in Codex in general. This can be achieved by continuing to develop capacity at the national level by enhancing the role of national coordinators and contact points for increased and effective participation in Codex.
CCNASWP Coordinator
All information on Codex is public and free.
For regional enquiries contact:
CCNASWP Secretariat
Ministry of Agriculture
Private Mail Bag
Hugh Robinson Complex
Raiwaqa,
Suva.
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.agriculture.gov.fj
CCFH53 / work completed on Escherichia coli and water in food production
The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) has agreed to send guidelines on the control of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and on the safe use and reuse of water in food production to the next Codex Alimentarius Commission for final adoption. Both proposed Codex texts are extensive documents and although the general sections and several commodity specific annexes are now finalized, the committee will continue to negotiate on specific areas of intervention for other foods.
Over 120 delegates participated in the final adoption which was held virtually after a physical session which saw 51 countries in attendance. The dedication and deep technical skill of those who attend the committee was evident in their commitment to collaborate in order to reach consensus at the session.
Chairperson Emilio Esteban, Chief Scientist at the United States Department of Agriculture, in closing the meeting, spoke of his deep respect for the CCFH delegates. “You are an amazing group to work with. The best group of people I have worked with in my life,” he said.
The meeting was another first for Codex as the plenary discussions were broadcast live every day in English, French and Spanish for those unable to attend in person.
Sarah Cahill from the Codex Secretariat was present in San Diego for the deliberations and also for the virtual adoption. “The physical meeting provided a superb opportunity to complete several years of work undertaken through electronic working groups and virtual meetings and resolve face-to-face outstanding issues in a timely and collaborative manner,” she said.
The close relationship between the FAO/WHO expert bodies who provide scientific advice, in this case those dealing with microbiological risk assessment (known as JEMRA), and CCFH was also critical to this progress as it ensured the committee had a strong scientific basis on which to develop the guidelines.
Learn more
Scientific advice publications
Main photo, Chairperson Emilio Esteban (left) with Chairperson's Assistant Heather Selig during virtual report adoption
Photo credit ©Marie Maratos Bhat
Leave a comment