The first ever Codex Trust Fund group project closes with ambitious plans for future collaboration

Delegates from Bhutan, India and Nepal (BIN) met from 15 to 16 August in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu for the ‘Terminal Meeting’ of the first ever Codex Trust Fund (CTF) group project. Attendees at the meeting lauded the project as a great success and were clear that rather than marking the end of the BIN collaboration, this was a pivotal moment where the three countries could look forward to consolidating what they have learned and building on what they have gained from their 3-year joint undertaking. 

Referring to a key aim of CTF group projects, Dr Gyanendra Gongal, Senior Public Health Officer of the WHO Regional Office for Southeast Asia said: “It is important that we build trust, confidence and understanding between countries.” By the end of the meeting, it was clear that Bhutan, India and Nepal had established new and enduring relationships through the project. 

Achievements under the project were significant. All countries were able to report that their national Codex structures are now more robust than before the project started. Key project activities included a visit to Bhutan by an Indian delegation that provided training on improved import/export inspection and certification systems, which helped to improve Codex Bhutan’s understanding of and participation in the Codex Committee on Food Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS). Delegates from Bhutan and Nepal visited India for training on effective management of Codex work, which included insights into producing an effective and workable procedural manual. The Bhutan Codex Committee successfully updated its procedural manual as a result. Nepal and India now have a mutual laboratory recognition agreement and an agreement is also in place to increase Bhutan’s food safety laboratory capacity. Bhutan and India are currently working on a Memorandum of Understanding on trade in food between the two countries. In addition, a mock drill exercise involved sessions where, through role play, delegates gained practical, hands-on experience with Codex procedures and web tools. 

The mock drill exercise was highlighted in the Terminal Meeting as one of the activities all countries would like to repeat on a regular basis. This would coincide with Bhutan’s request in the meeting for a ‘training of trainers’ approach to ensure institutional continuity with regard to food safety management in the country. Bhutan also asked India about the possibility of involvement in the administration of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH), which is hosted by India. As delegates at the meeting laid their plans for the future, the realisation of the possibilities of collective work on Codex standards sparked ambitious ideas to develop a new work proposal for a standard on millets and a standard for large cardamom. “Now is the time for action!” declared Mr. Sunil Bakshi, Head of Regulation at the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Ms. Dechen Choki, Deputy Chief, Regulatory and Quarantine Officer of the Certification Service at the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA), echoed the sentiment by declaring “this is not the end; it is the beginning of our intercountry collaboration.” Hailing the successes of the project, Dr Gongal said: “this was a low-cost, high-impact project” and it became clear that these impacts will only grow.