General / Head of Saudi Food and Drug Authority Leads Kingdom's Delegation at 49th Session of Codex Alimentarius (CODEX) in Geneva

Geneva, Muharram 21, 1448 AH corresponding to July 6, 2026, SPA – His Excellency the CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Professor Dr. Hisham bin Saad Al-Jad'ay, headed the Kingdom's delegation participating in the work of the 49th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 6 to 10, 2026, in the presence of Codex leadership and representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), member states, and observers. The session opened with addresses from the President of FAO, the Director-General of WHO, and the Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Dr. Alan Azzili. The meeting discusses several agenda items related to the work of Codex subsidiary committees, capacity-building activities, and scientific support, in addition to examining emerging issues in food safety and the implementation report of the Codex Strategic Plan. The Codex Alimentarius Commission is a joint body of FAO and WHO, established in 1963, with 189 member countries, and oversees the development of international food standards through its committees and specialized task forces. It is noteworthy that the Kingdom joined the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 1968 and currently holds the position of Vice-Chair of the Commission since its election in 2024, in addition to its membership in the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. // End // 19:32 T M 0150