On September 14 in Baku have been held regional conference. Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency (AFSA) and UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia jointly organized a two-day event on “Improving food standards in Europe and Central Asia and expanding participation in the Codex”.

A regional conference was held in Baku on September 14. The event was jointly organized by the Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency (AFSA) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. The two-day conference focused on the topics of "Improving food standards in Europe and Central Asia and expanding participation in the Codex".

In total, the international conference held with the participation of representatives from about 15 countries was attended by the leaders of the relevant central executive authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as the countries of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the Coordinating Committee for the European Region of the Codex Commission (CCEURO) (Turkey, Kazakhstan, Moldova etc.), World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, European Commission, World Bank and more than 60 representatives of other influential organizations.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, the chairman of the Food Safety Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Goshgar Tahmazli, said that a number of reforms were carried out in the field of food safety during the period of the Agency’s activity in our Republic and the transition from a single management system to a single authorized institution was ensured in the field of food safety. Emphasizing the approach of the concept of ensuring food safety in the modern world. G. Tahmazli highlighted the importance of this approach.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Health of Azerbaijan, Teymur Musayev, emphasized that food safety plays an important role in protecting the health of the population and the healthcare system from possible threats: “According to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated February 2, 2021” Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for socio-economic development”, citizens providing a healthy lifestyle is one of the main goals. Also, in the socio-economic development strategy for 2022-2026 of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the promotion of children’s healthy lifestyle and healthy nutrition is defined as one of the main directions of action to achieve the above-mentioned goal.”

From this aspect, it was reported that active cooperation between the Ministry of Health and the Food Safety Agency was carried out within the prism of food safety and health protection, and in particular, measures were taken to promote proper nutrition for schoolchildren. Emphasizing the importance of creating a supportive environment for businesses that produce healthy and safe foods in the legislation, the Minister noted that the application of innovative technologies in this area, the creation of a simulating mechanism, and various research create additional opportunities for the activities of enterprises in this area: the main activity of the Codex Commission is the protection of consumer health, fair practices in international food trade. Appreciating the importance of the event, Teymur Musayev said: “The Codex has an important impact on the management of food quality at the global level, the panel discussions that will be held will make practical contributions to the creation of the National Codex System”.

The Minister of Agriculture of Azerbaijan, the representatives of FAO and WHO in our country, the General Secretary for Food Standards at the Secretariat of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and others create food safety norms that meet the requirements of the modern era and the management of standards, the emergence of progressive challenges in this field and the application of science-based food standards performed in the aspects of making.

Later, sessions on “Innovations in the region on food safety priorities”, “Role and use of standards for safe food”, “Strengthening the “One Health approach to food safety”, and other topics were held at the event.

The conference will last until September 15. The main goals of the conference are the protection of human health at the national and international level, raising awareness of the benefits of science-based food standards, discussion of priority issues for the region due to food safety within the framework of the “Unit Health Concept”, its interaction with plant and animal health. At the same time, at the event, the latest innovations related to the role of the Codex, the achievements in the areas of ensuring food safety in Europe and Central Asia and the implementation of the Codex standards will be exchanged.