Dear Readers,

In our previous edition, we presented the considerable advances recorded by the Member States in drawing up the National Quality Policies in line with the Regional ECOQUAL Policy. In this edition, we are concentrating on strengthening the countries’ capabilities on Food Safety (FS).

The WTO Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) recognize that a country should not be prevented from taking the necessary measures to ensure the protection of the health and life of its citizens.

This is why in 2010, with a view to guiding countries in this sensitive area, the region adopted Regulation C/ REG.21/11/10, in order to harmonizing the structural framework and operating rules on health, safety of foods, plants and animals within the ECOWAS region.

Nevertheless, the implementation of national and regional policies in FS cannot be successful without the support of competent human resources. In this context training initiatives in this area have multiplied since stage 1 of the quality program (2001). The abilities and knowledge in this area of around 1500 resource persons have been strengthened, whether on a company, personnel   or   consultants’ level.

The WAQSP, in a dynamic of continuity and improvement, has registered about 100 of these experts in seven (7) countries and conducted qualitative training in food safety (FS) with them. This means creating a core group of confirmed expertise as well as effectively serving the players in the area with a view to improving the FS practices at a national level.

Based on the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), one should remember that failings in FS weigh very heavily on economies. Even in 1997, the estimated costs associated with food illnesses caused by micro-organisms in the United States varied between 6.5 and 34.9 billion USD. Just imagine what this means to exposed and vulnerable countries.

It is important to note that, faced with the challenges relating to FS, more and more countries in the region are working to complete their National Quality Policy for the policies or sub-policies on food health and safety; this is to their credit and must be warmly applauded.

West Africa is changing. Each day it is becoming more and more integrated into world trade. The ECOWAS Commission intends to continue to fully play its part in supporting these changes and promotes more quality to the benefit of our populations. That is what I want to discuss in our next issue: the winners of the national quality awards will be announced. While waiting to know the lucky winner of the ECOWAS Quality Award, we will give more visibility to the efforts agreed by the latter to reach this result of excellence in their respective countries. These efforts are worthy of being copied without reserve.

Good reading

Kalilou Traoré