East African Community / Generating regional positions in preparation for Codex meetings

Hakim Mufumbiro
Codex Regional Coordinator for Africa

Partner States in the EAC - East African Community (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda) took part from 24 to 27 August 2021 in the 3rd extraordinary meeting of the EAC Codex Forum to specifically generate regional common positions in preparation to effectively participate in the 52nd Codex Committee on Food Additives, the 46th Codex Committee on Food Labelling and the 27th Codex Committee on Fats and Oils which are among the priority committees in the region.

The EAC Codex Forum is mandated to coordinate Food Safety and Codex issues in the region focussing on raising the profile of food safety and quality as well as Codex issues at the policy level and enhancing effective participation of the EAC in Codex work.

Up to 60 stakeholders drawn from government, research and academia, private sector and consumer associations as well as the EAC Secretariat participated in the three-day meeting that was also facilitated by the African Union – InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and supported by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) through the EU-EAC Market Access and Upgrade Programme (MARKUP).

The regional meeting was extremely successful and resulted in generation of three EAC Conference Room Documents covering agreed common positions and which guide delegates in the region while making interventions at the different plenary Codex Committees of interest. The regional position also helps increase the visibility of the EAC Secretariat as an observer in Codex.

It is important, not to only to participate but to effectively participate in Codex activities and have the ability to significantly contribute to the discussions and ultimately impact and influence the outcomes. The representatives of the six Partner States committed to continue with engagement of key stakeholders at national level to foster participation in Codex work and ultimately enhance the use and application of Codex standards in driving regional and international trade of safe food products while protecting the health and safety of the consumers.

Through the established EAC Codex Forum, there will be continued building of a pool of stakeholders who are able to follow and effectively participate in the work of Codex.

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FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa

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Delegates in Uganda (left) and Tanzania attending meeting