18 May 2026, Rome: The FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for the Near East (CCNE), in collaboration with the Arab Codex Initiative, continues to strengthen scientific coordination and regional engagement in Codex work through the establishment of regional expert working groups across priority technical areas relevant to Arab and Near East countries.
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The Arab Codex Initiative is implemented by the Arab Industrial Development, Standardization and Mining Organization (AIDSMO), in partnership with the Global Food Regulatory Science Society (GFoRSS). The initiative aims to support more coordinated, science-based participation in international food standard-setting activities.
Five regional scientific working groups have been launched, bringing together regulators, scientists and technical experts from across the region to support the following Codex committees: the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO), the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS), the Codex Committee on residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF), the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA) and the Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL). The groups identified regional priorities, reviewed scientific evidence, analyzed Codex working documents, and prepared coordinated technical inputs and recommendations ahead of Codex sessions.
The initiative also supports joint regional coordination meetings for Codex Contact Points, providing a platform for countries to exchange perspectives, enhance technical preparedness, strengthen regional coordination, and promote alignment on issues of common regional importance within the Codex Alimentarius framework. In this regard, the 45th, 46th, 47th, 48th, and 49th coordination meetings were convened to facilitate information sharing, discuss priority agenda items under active Codex committees, and support the development of coordinated regional approaches and contributions.
Through enhanced scientific cooperation and structured technical coordination, CCNE and the Arab Codex Initiative are contributing to stronger and more effective participation of the Arab and Near East region in Codex processes and the development of international food standards.
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