By Ibrahim Mohamed
Chairman of the Egyptian National Food Safety Authority (NFSA), Tareq El-Houby, and Director of the Food and Drug Administration of Jordan (JFDA), Nizar Mahmoud Mhaidat, discussed ways to enhance joint co-operation in the field of food as part of an Egyptian trade mission to Jordan.
El-Houby highlighted the importance of establishing a mechanism for the exchange of information on the results of food monitoring in the two countries, the risks incurred, the importance of establishing an early warning system, and the possibility of signing a memorandum of understanding with a view to overcoming any obstacles that may confront the exchange of food products between Egypt and Jordan.
For his part, Mhaidat stressed their readiness to strengthen co-operation in areas of mutual interest and welcomed the holding of joint meetings to discuss ways of developing joint programmes and exchanging technical expertise, including a memorandum of understanding to overcome any obstacles to the movement of importers and food exports.
The two sides discussed the possibility of adopting certificates of origin for foodstuffs and the certificate of freedom of sale containing ingredients for foodstuffs issued electronically by the competent authorities and the exchange of certificates of conformity for food commodities between the two countries.
Head of the Commercial Representation Office at the Egyptian Embassy in Amman, Mona Abboud, said Egyptian-Jordanian relations are integrated and have contributed to increasing bilateral trade exchange, pointing to successful joint investment experiences in many sectors.
