Qatar Elected as Chairman of AGFS for Second Consecutive Time

The State of Qatar has been elected as chairman for the Arab Group for Food Safety (AGFS) for the second consecutive time during the 13th meeting of the group that has been held recently via videoconferencing

October 3, 2022 - 12:27

Qatar Elected as Chairman of AGFS for Second Consecutive Time

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At the outset of the meeting, Head of Ports Health and Food Control section at the Ministry of Public Health Khalid Yousef Al Sulaiti has been elected as chairman of the meeting.

During the meeting, several significant topics were reviewed, including the final draft of the Arab policy for food safety, the proposal of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's initiative to establish Arab regional network for risk communication, the findings of the Arab regional forum on voluntary accreditation methodology and mechanisms by a third party in the Arab region, in addition to food safety at the Arab level. The group's meetings wrapped up by taking the appropriate recommendations on each of the proposed items.

AGFS is guidance group that includes a number of representatives from the organizations, authorities and various relevant structures with respect to food safety standards in the Arab countries, and was established in 2016 within the project of Arab initiative for food safety and trade facilitation.

The group intends to provide the technical counselling to Arab League, Arab Industrial Development and Mining Organization and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, to reach coordination and harmonization of conformity and food safety assessment systems and procedures and compliance with their implementation by surveillance and inspection bodies in the Arab countries, including food safety standards through unified regulations for Arab countries. In addition, AGFS is affiliated to the Implementation and Follow-up Committee, which is vested with the responsibility of following up the performance of the Greater Arab Free Trade Area, whose management comes within the tasks of the General Department of Economic Affairs Sector of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, and the establishment of the team comes within the efforts devoted to deepening Arab economic integration.

Source: Ministry of Health