Liberia News: Liberia Launches Codex Trust Fund

By Mark N. Mengonfia

LIBERIA-Liberia has officially launched Codex Trust fund with a commitment from the government of Liberia to prioritize food security.

Codex Trust Fund is a project for Liberia intended to increase financial and human resource allocation to food safety and Codex activities by the Government of Liberia, strengthen the national structures and processes for managing Codex activities at national level, to enhance essential knowledge and understanding of Codex at national level among key policy makers and key stakeholders and to improve effective preparation and participation in Codex meetings and better negotiated the Liberia national positions in Codex meetings and discussion by Liberia’ delegates.

Launching the project in Paynesville, Deputy Minister for Commerce and Industries, Andrew G. Paygar-Flangiah said Liberia applied for said funding years back and after going through a rigorous vetting process, the country was given the chance to benefit from the Trust Fund.

“This is a significant development because it will allow the Liberia science authority to build the capability of staff and strengthen its ethical components, thereby contributing to the expansion of local trade and keeping our people safe,” Deputy Minister Paygar-Flangiah said at Saturday’s launch.

He assured partners that the Ministry of Commerce will ensure Liberia’s commitment to fully implement the terms and conditions of the project.

He said the Ministry will also lobby for budgetary support as recommended by the project, and pleaded with committee members of the project to remain committed to the dictates of the project.

Codex Alimentarius is a compilation of harmonized international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice, explained Emmanuel Kapee, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) National Project Coordinator & Partnership Specialist.

He represented FAO boss, Bintia STEPHEN-TCHICAYA said, and also described it as the single most important international reference point for food standards.

“More importantly, it aims to protect consumer health and promote fair practices in the food trade,” the FAO National Project Coordinator & Partnership Specialist said.

According to him, Codex demonstrates trade internationally and access markets for high-value products, producers must be able to meet food standards.

“The Government must apply food standards to ensure that food is safe and meets quality and labeling requirements and the use of international food standards worldwide, helps reduce trade costs by making trade more transparent and efficient. Thus, allowing food to move more smoothly between markets,” Kapee urged.

He informed the gathering that , when a country becomes a Member of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), it is required to designate the official Codex Contact Point (CCP) and constitute a National Codex Committee adding,  “The CCP remains the focal point in each country for all Codex related activities.​The success of a country’s Codex activities depends on the effective functioning of the Codex Contact Point.”

According to him, regardless of where the CCP is located, two things that are must are coordination and communication functions he said officials must harness to ensure Liberia’s sustained success.

“With this, ladies and gentlemen, Liberia has recently obtained its CTF funding, and because it is a competitive process, I am happy to congratulate the country and the National Codex Committee for preparing this successful project” he added.

He reiterated the commitment of the FAO Representation in Liberia and the Regional Office for Africa in Accra, Ghana to provide necessary technical support during the implementation of the CTF project.

“Together, let’s work to eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition through improved food safety in Liberia and beyond.  As this is part of FAO concerted efforts in promoting new and revised international standards for food safety and quality” he said.

The launching was attended by government officials and partners who all expressed joy that Liberia was able to meet the standards of sourcing said trust fund.