Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to safer food systems and stronger trade standards at a key regional meeting of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA25), held in Kampala, Uganda.
The five-day session drew delegates from 24 African countries, alongside observers from eight organisations and four non-African members, all united in a shared goal: strengthening Africa’s food safety framework in line with development ambitions.
Representing Ghana, a delegation from the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) — Regina Vowotor, Samuel Tetteh Sakitey and Doreen Gyau Koranteng — took an active role in the discussions.
Their involvement spotlighted Ghana’s efforts to align domestic food regulations with international Codex Alimentarius standards and to confront rising challenges in food safety.
“It’s not just about trade,” said Mrs. Vowotor on the sidelines of the meeting. “It’s about ensuring the food our people eat is safe — from farm to fork.”
Key decisions from the session included the development of new regional standards for traditional African foods such as Kethiakh (braised dried fish) and Tiacry (pre-cooked cereal granules), and renewed emphasis on capacity building through the Codex Trust Fund.
Participants also addressed urgent concerns like antimicrobial resistance, pesticide residues and food fraud — issues Ghana is already grappling with domestically.
CCAFRICA25 also saw a moment of reflection and recognition. Ghana received awards on behalf of two former coordinators, Dr. Robert Oteng and Prof. Samuel Sefa-Dedeh, for their contributions to Codex work in Africa. The acknowledgment underscored Ghana’s longstanding leadership in food safety governance.
In a key development, Gambia was elected to lead CCAFRICA from 2026 to 2027 — a transition seen as vital for maintaining momentum across the continent.
Ghana’s delegation returned home with a renewed sense of purpose. The team identified several priorities moving forward: deepening collaboration with regional bodies like the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), integrating Codex standards into national policy, and preparing to engage fully with the upcoming 2026–2031 Codex Strategic Plan.
Experts say that progress on these fronts will not only protect consumers, but also unlock greater opportunities for intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Ghana’s food safety authorities are now expected to ramp up efforts to modernise food control systems, adopt a ‘One Health’ approach that connects human, animal and environmental health, and invest in data systems and workforce training.
“CCAFRICA25 was a wake-up call,” said Mr. Sakitey. “We must keep pace with global trends, but also respond to local realities. Food safety is not negotiable.”
