WFP and Egyptian government join efforts to enhance food safety in Egypt
CAIRO – The World Food Programme (WFP) and Egypt’s National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) today signed a five-year agreement to raise public awareness on food safety and hygiene as well as building the government’s capacity to ensure access to safe nutritious food.
Through the signed agreement, WFP will work on developing an online training platform for food safety inspectors on key issues related to food safety such as good practices for food manufacturing, food handling and efficient supply chains.
As per the agreement, WFP and NFSA will launch several public awareness campaigns in hypermarkets, public parks and public transportation. WFP will further develop the current NFSA website to be used as a platform for sharing public awareness messages on food safety measures.
“We have a good history of collaboration with NFSA and we share a common vision on the importance of implementing food safety practices across all sectors working in the food industry,” said WFP Representative and Country Director in Egypt Menghestab Haile. “WFP in Egypt provides food assistance to the most vulnerable while at the same time ensuring high standards of the quality of food it distributes. The safety of our food is our number one priority.”
WFP in Egypt has been working over the years on raising the capacity of its own food suppliers through delivering numerous trainings on food quality and safety. WFP aims to extend its capacity-building to reach larger numbers of food suppliers, retailers, mills and others working in the food manufacturing sector.
“Ensuring food safety procedures are implemented across Egypt is a top priority for us and our goal is to reach all those involved in the food production sector with the needed trainings,” said Chairman of the NFSA Dr. Hussein Mansour. “Food safety and security are the constitutional rights of every Egyptian and we work tirelessly to make sure this is fulfilled.”
WFP has been working in Egypt since 1968 and is currently supporting over one million people through different projects implemented in the country’s most vulnerable governorates. WFP activities aim to enhance the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable groups in a way that is sustainable and lasting.
# # #
The United Nations World Food Programme - saving lives in emergencies and changing lives for millions through sustainable development. WFP works in more than 80 countries around the world, feeding people caught in conflict and disasters, and laying the foundations for a better future.
Follow us on Twitter @wfp_AR
For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
Amina Al Korey, WFP/Cairo, Tel. +2 02 2526 1992, Mob. +2 0102853153