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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.
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For regional enquiries contact:
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‍CCNASWP Secretariat
Ministry of Agriculture
Private Mail Bag
Hugh Robinson Complex
Raiwaqa, Suva.

Email: [email protected]
Web: www.agriculture.gov.fj

CCNASWP16 / Steve Hathaway describes lessons learned for Codex from the COVID-19 pandemic

Feb 5, 2023, 13:03 PM by System

At the 16th session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific held from 30 January to 3 February 2023 in Nadi, Fiji,  Steve Hathaway, New Zealand, gave the keynote address on lessons learned from the COVID pandemic, which he said had “irrevocably changed international thinking on food control … [and] dramatically illustrated the importance of effective and science driven risk management by all sectors throughout the food chain.”

Hathaway went on to outline how the COVID pandemic can seed change in Codex beyond the role standards play in harmonizing international trade and providing greater guidance to national governments.

He said real world experiments like COVID had taught us a lot about how we need to approach the critical difference between a hazard and a risk when making risk management decisions. Codex guidelines now exist, for example, looking at very low levels of chemical residues and foods in consignments crossing borders where there is no regulatory limit. “A very practical, risk based proportionate response in Codex guidelines do not disrupt the food trade unnecessarily and unnecessarily contribute to food security, “ he said.

He also called on Codex to reach a greater level of clarity and offer more guidance on the notion of other legitimate factors and the extent to which they can be legitimately considered in terms of a food safety response, advocating for consistency across Codex in terms of different standards and guidelines.

On Codex’s “checkered history” in seeking to set maximum residue levels for hormone growth promoters, Hathaway said Codex needs to be able to deal efficiently and procedurally with these types of issues. More challenges may be on the way with new foods and novel foods that aren't really expected to be present in the food supply in some countries. “The stumbling block usually revolves around prohibition of the substance in question in national or federal legislation. And we need to be sure that as we move forward, both with current and critical review processes, we need to be explicit on this issue of national or federal legislation when we try and offer solutions.”

 

Learn more

CCNASWP16 meeting page including draft final report

Photo credit ©Ministry of Agriculture, Fiji

Steve Hathaway, New Zealand, delivering the keynote address.