Arab Specialized Food Safety Task Force (ATF)

Arab Specialized Food Safety Task Force (ATF) Enhancement of Regional Trade Capacities in Food Through a Harmonized Regional Conformity Assessment and Food Safety Systems Dr Hussein Mansour Chairman of the Arab Taskforce on Food Safety And Head of Food Safety Management Unit, Ministry of Industry and Foreign Trade, Egypt

OUT LINE Project Summary ATF Membership Scope Overall objectives Outcomes / outputs the ARAB Taskforce on Food Safety Steering Food Safety Coordination and Harmonization 2

PROJET SUMMARY Project title: Enhancement of regional trade capacities in food through a harmonized regional conformity assessment and food safety systems Duration: 4.5 years Counterparts: LAS, AIDMO, AOAD Executing Agency : UNIDO Funding Agency : Sida Countries: Members of the "Greater Arab Free Trade Area" (GAFTA), It contains 18 countries: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Jordon, Yamen and Palestine 3

SCOPE Objective Support regional efforts, coordinated by LAS, AIDMO & AOAD, aiming at achieving regional integration, harmonization & effective coordination in food safety ensuring compliance with international trade rules & regulations (TBT/SPS) Development Goal To facilitate regional trade in food &regional integration through strengthening regional coordination & harmonization mechanisms on conformity assessment & food control systems following international best practices (TBT & SPS)

OUTCOMES / OUTPUTS LAS, AIDMO and AOAD technical and regional coordination capacities strengthened for the planning, implementation and management of a harmonized regional food safety system within the framework of PAFTA LAS member countries improve their national food safety systems following regionally harmonized policies and protocols and according to international best practices and agreements

THE ARAB TASKFORCE ON FOOD SAFETY Arab Specialized Food Safety Task Force (ATF) is a high level steering group with the main responsibility to provide high level advice and guidance to the League of Arab States, and its specialized organizations: the Arab Industrial Development & Mining Organization (AIDMO) and the Arab Organization of Agricultural Development (AOAD), to support the enhancement of coordination and harmonization of food safety interventions

COMPOSITION OF THE ATF The ATF is meant to be composed primarily of : - Senior representatives of Organizations responsible for Food Safety including Food Safety Standards in countries of the LAS signatories to PAFTA - Senior representative of the League of Arab States and specialized organizations: the Arab Industrial Development Organization (AIDMO) and the Arab Organization of Agricultural Development (AOAD) - Possible representation from stakeholders: Industry and Consumer groups

ATF MEMBERSHIP Currently Members Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Yemen Potential Members Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain Observable Country Mauritania 8

ATF MANDATE - To advise and recommend areas of priority for coordination of food safety interventions and food safety standards harmonization - To provide advice on coordination mechanisms to be harnessed or developed in support of food safety standards harmonization, including those mechanisms led by stakeholders - To engage with the food stakeholder community (regulators, industry, food science community, consumer groups) in countries of the LAS, guiding coordination of food safety interventions To engage with the international food safety advisory council (IAC) representing leading food safety organisations and authorities internationally and entrusted with providing advice on the Project implementation - To appoint time-limited Working Groups tasked with the implementation of specific projects and tasks related to coordination of food safety interventions and harmonization of food safety standards and oversee their progress and - To report progress and recommendations on the implementation of coordination of food safety interventions and harmonization of food safety standards to LAS, AIDMO and AOAD, for further deliberation and endorsement, as may be required

STEERING FOOD SAFETY COORDINATION AND HARMONIZATION ATF Proposals for Consideration and Endorsement as required Example 1: Emerging Issues Input from Private Sector Example 2: WG on Needs Assessments Coordination Mechanisms Input from Food Safety Science Comm. Example 3: Food Safety Priorities Protocols Guidelines Standards Input from Consumer Groups Example 4: to be determined Tools International Advisory Council (FAO STDF WHO EFSA FDA FSANZ, CFSA)

11 ACTIVITIES THROUGH 2016

FIRST: PRIORITY INITIATIVES Initiative Lead Country Focal Point 1. Codex Coordination Lebanon Eng. Mariam Eid 2. Arab Rapid Alert System KSA/GCC Dr. Hamad Alkanhal 3. Arab Risk Analysis Morocco Ms. Zeineb EL Bouchikhi 4. Food Safety Controls at Border Inspection Posts (Food import / export certificates) Jordan Dr. Mohammad AL Khrishah 5. Country Needs Assessment Egypt Dr. Hussein Mansour 6. Emerging issues: (FS regulations,...) - - 12

Objective: Protect the food trade interests of the Arab region through enhancing its role in Codex activities through: Strengthen regional coordination amongst countries of the Arab region on their participation in the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) and subsidiary bodies Enhance contribution in the development and amendments of Codex standards in a manner that considers the realities and protects the interests of the Arab region Enhance national Codex Contact Points (CCPs) and National Codex Committees (NCCs) in the Arab region Outcomes Ensure Systematic and Consistent Contribution of Arab Countries in the Elaboration of Codex Standards Maximize the use of Codex Standards as a basis for food safety measures in the Arab Region, nationally and regionally Enhance the effectiveness of the Codex Coordinating Committee for the Near East 13 ARAB CODEX INITIATIVES

Arab Food Safety Risk Assessment Initiative Objective: Develop a common Arab approach for food safety risk assessment that supports sustainable coordination and harmonization of food safety standards in the Arab region, in alignment with international best practices Outcomes Workshops and Networks of (Arab / International) Experts Pilot Food Safety Risk Assessments (addressing Arab priorities) Training Material in Arabic available to train future cohorts of food safety risk assessors Policy Paper related to sustained Arab Food Safety Authority 14

Objective Explore the development and initial implementation of a Rapid Alert System to report and exchange information on food and feed safety, in the Arab region. The initiative will build on best practices for similar systems established in the region e.g., Gulf Rapid Alert System for Food (GRASF) and internationally e.g., the EU s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), and APEC FSIN (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Food Safety Incident Network) Outcomes Arab Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (ARASFF) Network of contact points in Arab Food Safety Competent authorities responsible for food incident management Workshops offering networking, guidance and learning from best practices on design and operation of Rapid Alert Systems for Food and Feed Safety Policy Paper related to pertinence of ARASFF, including recommendations for the creation and maintenance of a sustained Arab System Institutional links with organizations responsible for Rapid Alert Systems for Food and Feed 15 Safety in other regions and internationally

Towards Common Food Import/ Export Certificates in the Arab Region Objective: Explore the development and implementation of common Arab Food Import / Export Certificates aligned with Codex standards and guidelines, in particular CAC/GL38-2001 and leveraging best practices established in the region and internationally Outcomes Documented best practices on adoption and use of food import/export control certificates in the Arab region and internationally Proposed Arab common food import/export certificate aligned with Codex guidance and leveraging Arab best practices Identified priorities to coordinate and harmonize food import control systems in the Arab region and a proposed path forward 16

INITIATIVE OF THE ASSESSMENT OF COUNTRY FOOD SAFETY REGULATORY AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR PRIORITIZING INVESTMENTS IN CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT Objective: Explore the development and implementation of a Tool that characterizes the current situation of the food safety regulatory landscape and food control management systems* of Arab countries, which can be applied to determine priority investments in food safety regulatory capacity building, The targeted tool is aimed to leverage existing recognized tools/methodologies, to be robust and adaptable to Arab countries food production and consumption profiles Outcomes Review of existing methodologies and tools and development of assessment and benchmarking method of food control management systems (adapted for the Arab region) Benchmarked food control management systems of Arab countries, as part of Pilot implementation of assessment tool Prioritized areas of investments in food control capacity, identified for select Arab countries 17

SECOND: REGIONAL NETWORK Regional Network Responsibility 1. Regional consumer protection LAS/UNIDO 2. Private sector LAS/UNIDO 3. Arab laboratory accreditation and mutual recognition (food safety focused) 4. Education (food safety curricula) and Research 5. Arab food safety regional network ARAC/UNIDO UNIDO/IUFoST/LAS AOAD (to be confirmed/discussed)

THIRD SUPPORTING TRACKES Supporting Tracks 1. Guidelines on the operational procedures of the working groups Responsibility UNIDO 2. Demand-driven country support program UNIDO 3. ARAB ASEAN Partnership LAS, AOAD, AIDMO, UNIDO (2017) 4. International advisory committee UNIDO/LAS 5. Arab StarPack UNIDO 19

NEXT STEPS EXPECTED ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER 2016 ATF functional with 17 member countries ATF working groups identified, formed and work according to an action plan and ToRs ATF membership includes private sector and consumer protection

NEXT MEETING Arab Food Safety Week Expected Date: 1 st week of March 2017 Place: Undetermined yet ( Morocco, Lebanon or Jordon) 21

Thank you/merci This presentation was made for Food safety Oman conference 2016 taking place alongside the 11th annual Food and Hospitality exhibition from the 20 22 September at the Oman International Convention Centre in Muscat