On September 15, 2024, Riyadh hosted the concluding sessions of a significant training program for members of the Coordinating Committee for Near East (CCNE) countries of the Codex Alimentarius. Organized by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) at its headquarters, the program was themed "From Knowledge to Action: Empowering the Region for Codex Compliance." The event saw participation from representatives of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), regional member states, and the Codex Secretariat.
Over three days, the program featured specialized sessions on food safety, aimed at enhancing the skills of Codex contact point representatives. Discussions included data integration, regional cooperation, and the role of FAO and WHO expert committees in providing scientific advice to Codex technical committees. The sessions reviewed the forthcoming Codex strategy for 2026-2031 and shared experiences from other Codex coordinating committees. Topics covered included innovations in food production systems, the Food Control System Assessment Tool, risk assessment, data analysis, and transforming food systems to improve health. Saudi Arabia’s own experiences in these areas were also examined.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the SFDA, has been an active member of the Codex Alimentarius Executive Committee and has chaired the CCNE Region since 2020. Established in 1963, Codex Alimentarius is a collaborative body of FAO and WHO, comprising 189 members and overseeing various committees and technical working groups dedicated to setting international food standards.
