Codex Strategic Plan

Great opportunity to engage with CCASIA colleagues during their #CodexAlimentarius Colloquium

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Honored to join participants of the CCASIA Codex Colloquium - in preparation of CAC 37.

Honored to join participants of the CCASIA Codex Colloquium – in preparation of CAC 37.

I was honored to take part in the CCASIA Codex Colloquium co-organised by the Government of Japan, as the Coordinator for the Asia region and the US Department of Agriculture from June 25-27, 2014 in Tokyo. The meeting gathered representatives of most of the member countries of CCASIA, as well as colleagues from the United States, Brazil and Mali. The meeting focused on discussing the outcomes of the most recent Codex Committee meetings and the proposed items referred to the Commission for its consideration: standards in progress, standards for adoption and new proposed work.

 

Enjoying exchange of views and opportunities to discuss Codex challenges and future directions with peers and colleagues from Pakistan, Vietnam and Mali.

Enjoying exchange of views and opportunities to discuss Codex challenges and future directions with peers and colleagues from Pakistan, Vietnam and Mali.

The meeting was a great opportunity for me, to engage directly with colleagues from the Asian region and discuss their Codex priorities, their challenges as well as opportunities for shaping a vision for the agenda of Codex in the upcoming years, building on the direction provided by the Codex Strategic Plan 2014-19. I was able to raise with peers and colleagues a number of themes of focus such as the ability of Asian countries to contribute systematically to Codex work through provision of data or through the assessment of the impacts of proposed Codex standards on their food sector in their respective countries. Similarly, the ability to harness existing scientific resources in the region and devote them to serve Codex needs and to support data gathering and submission from the region, in response to calls for data by FAO and WHO, was also discussed.

 

With Dr. Yayoi Tsujiyama (Japan), Dr.Mahamadou Sako (Mali) and Dr. Gilherme Costa (Brazil) candidates for Vice chairperson position of the CAC in 2014.

With Dr. Yayoi Tsujiyama (Japan), Dr.Mahamadou Sako (Mali) and Dr. Gilherme Costa (Brazil) candidates for Vice chairperson position of the CAC in 2014.

 

 

This meeting enabled me to exchange views on the furture agenda of Codex with my colleagues Dr. Yayoi Tsujiyama (Japan), Dr. Mahamadou Sako (Mali) and Dr. Gilherme Costa (Brazil), candidates for the Vice Chairperson position of Codex.

 

 

 

I would like to convey my most sincere appreciation to the meeting organisers for their invitation to contribute to these discussions and thank our Japanese hosts for their outstanding hospitality.

Capacity Building Activities essential to #Codexalimentarius – Aiming for more inclusive processes and engaged membership

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The Strategic Plan 2014-19 adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission membership at its last commission meeting in 2013 reaffirmed the importance of capacity building initiatives dedicated to strengthen Codex structures, support participation and engagement of developing countries and ensure that Codex standards are truly global with an effective contribution from all countries, including developing countries. A specific Strategic Goal (Strategic Goal 3: Facilitate effective participation of all codex members) was dedicated to this purpose. Similar endeavours are also to be pursued under Strategic Goal 2, with the objective to ensure that scientific evidence supporting Codex standards be provided by as many members as possible.

Last month, I had the opportunity to participate in two capacity building initiatives recently held in Canada and the United States, where I was honored to contribute to the scientific and technical program developed by the organizers.

From left to right : Michael Abbott (HC), Dr. Stephen Taylor (FARRP), Jean-Marc Gélinas (HC), Dr. Terry Koerner (HC)

From left to right : Michael Abbott (HC), Dr. Stephen Taylor (FARRP), Jean-Marc Gélinas (HC), Dr. Terry Koerner (HC)

The APEC / Health Canada / FARRP Capacity building initiative on food allergen management was held in Vancouver, British Columbia – Canada, from May 4-8, 2014. I was particularly honoured to contribute to the May 4th session dedicated to introduce the issue of food allergen management as an emerging area of concern that requires added attention by all stakeholders: food industry across the entire supply chain, food regulators and consumers. This session was followed by the Health Canada / FARRP Food Allergen Methodologies Workshop. Canada was supported by several APEC economies to enable participation of a broader audience of food regulators from the Asia Pacific Region to the workshop. A record attendance was registered for this session of the Workshop, which is now considered a regular hub gathering food allergen experts from around the world.

With some members of the US Codex capacity building team

With some members of the US Codex capacity building team

On May 14-15th, 2014, I was also honoured to contribute to the US Codex Partnership initiative, a capacity building activity gathering Codex representatives from around the world, in Washington DC (USA). I had the opportunity to discuss with the workshop participants the various steps that led us to develop and adopt by consensus the Codex strategic plan 2014-19. The workshop was an invaluable opportunity to meet and exchange views with Codex representatives and colleagues from Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia/ Pacific and Africa on Codex activities, upcoming challenges and opportunities of enhanced collaboration.

An invaluable opportunity to meet and discuss with Codex peers and colleagues, from Africa, Asia/Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean

An invaluable opportunity to meet and discuss with Codex peers and colleagues, from Africa, Asia/Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean