With funding from USAID-ERRA, the EAC Codex Forum developed and submitted to the EAC Secretariat policy briefs on food safety risks and approaches to curb harmful practices while aligning with international food safety standards. This is an important step towards strengthening regional food safety and trade. Subsequently, the EAC Secretariat called for a high-level regional meeting on Food Safety and CODEX. The meeting was highly successful as stakeholders adopted USAID-ERRA-funded policy briefs and issued a communique to serve as a roadmap for enhancing continental food safety.

The meeting attracted experts and policymakers in food safety and standards, including representatives from the EAC Secretariat, EAC Partner states, FAO, and WHO, amongst others. Two significant highlights agreed upon by the partners include supporting the implementation of regional food safety policies, regulations, and standards and funding initiatives focused on developing new technologies, methodologies, and best practices to enhance food safety management systems and mitigate foodborne risks.

The EAC Codex Forum is mandated to coordinate Food Safety and Codex issues in the region, focusing on raising the profile of food safety and quality at the policy level and enhancing effective participation of the EAC in Codex work. Support for the Codex forum aligns with USAID-ERRA’s vision of strengthening food safety to safeguard public health and promote food trade within the EAC under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aspirations.