The Africa Food Safety Agency will be established soon to enhance food safety across the continent, the African Union (AU) said Wednesday in a statement.
“The soon to be established Africa Food Safety Agency will serve as a specialised technical institution of the AU, dedicated to coordinating and harmonising food safety policies, regulations, and risk assessment frameworks across member states,” the AU’s statement said.
The move is in response to Africa’s disproportionate burden of food-borne illnesses, which affects 91 million people and results in 137,000 deaths annually—one-third of the global mortality due to food-borne diseases, the statement quoted the World Health Organisation (WHO) as saying.
The economic toll of unsafe food is equally staggering; with the World Bank estimating losses of $110 billion in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia due to lost productivity and medical costs, the statement pointed out.
The agency will establish a continental food safety data hub and rapid alert system, providing critical support to member States in managing food safety risks and emergencies. It will also coordinate food safety initiatives at the continental level while complementing and strengthening the food safety coordination function of Regional Economic Communities, the statement highlighted.
Its establishment is expected to boost the competitiveness of Africa’s food and agricultural products by ensuring compliance with international food safety standards. This will be instrumental in unlocking new market opportunities, reducing trade barriers, and enhancing consumer confidence in African food products.
During its 38th Ordinary Session which was held last February in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government adopted the statute for the establishment of the Africa Food Safety Agency.
The adoption marked a “significant advancement” in the continent’s commitment to protecting consumer health, strengthening Africa’s food safety governance and facilitating trade in safe food products under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the statement said.
MG/as/APA