Qatar Concludes Its Participation in 46th Session of Codex Alimentarius Commission in Rome

Rome, December 02 (QNA) - The State of Qatar concluded Saturday its participation in the activities of the 46th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, held in Rome, Italy, at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). During the 6-day session, the State of Qatar was represented by a delegation led by HE Chairperson of Qatar General Organization for Standardization and Metrology, Eng. Mohammed bin Saud Mohammed Al Musallam. The session commemorated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which is the most important international reference for food quality. It was founded in 1963 as a joint program between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the FAO. The Commission's purpose is to develop international food standards, guidelines, and codes of practice to ensure the safety, quality, and fairness of international food trade, instilling consumer confidence in the safety and quality of food products and their compliance with relevant standards. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus delivered a recorded speech congratulating Codex Alimentarius on its effective and vital role through the international standards it issues to ensure food safety and nutritional benefits as fundamental human rights. The agenda of the session included various topics for discussion and decisions. It reviewed the work of specialized technical committees and the activities of regional coordination committees covering six geographical regions: Asia, Europe, Africa, the Near East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America and the Southwest Pacific. Each committee is responsible for identifying issues and needs in the region regarding food standards and food control. The session also discussed matters referred to the Codex Alimentarius by FAO and WHO related to the Codex Alimentarius, including documents, publications, and reports issued by either or both organizations in the fields of nutrition, health, and food safety, such as the WHO Global Report on Sodium Intake Reduction and the decision of the World Health Assembly on traditional food markets. The session also reviewed and discussed amendments to the Codex Alimentarius Commission Procedural Manual. These amendments aim to align with modern systems and technological advancements in terms of working mechanisms and meeting methods, especially in the context of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. (QNA)