Addis Ababa, September 5, 2019: The African Union Commission (AUC) through its Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Food and Startegic Reserves Administration(NAFARA) from the Government of the People’s Republic of China to foster cooperation in order to ensure closer collaborations between AUC and NAFRA to work in the areas of Food Safety, Quality and Post-harvest Loss Management.

These are priorities in the AU Business Plan (2017-2021) for the implementation of the CAADP Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and transformation for shared prosperity and improved livelihoods.

At the signing ceremony, the African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs H.E. Amira Elfadil, who represented the Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture(DREA) Amb.Josefa Sacko observed that the collaboration will help both organizations work collectively towards achieving these outcomes that are in line with the aspirations of Africa’s Agenda 2063 as the AU Commission is making progress in the area of food safety. “In February this year, we organized the first AU-FAO-WHO International Food Safety Conference here in Addis Ababa which brought over 600 participants. During the Conference, the AUC Chairperson announced the Commission’s plans to establish an Africa Food Safety Agency to help in building on our work in animal health, plant health and food safety, especially in providing guidance to AU Member States in developing common position in codex food standard setting processes and the efforts of managing aflatoxin contamination through the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA)” She said.

She further stated that, the Overall Objective of the strategic policy framework is to help Member States work together towards a more modern, coherent, and integrated SPS system supportive of food security, shared prosperity, and health for all Africans.

The Administrator and Head of NAFRA,H.E. Mr.Zhang Wufeng, on his part, affirmed NAFRA’s keenness to support AU in the realization of the Agenda 2063 aspirations, by addressing the issue of Food Security,Food Safety and Postharvest Loss Management using the best Technologies from china to help resolve the issue. “Food Security and Postharvest Loss Management are common challenges faced by the whole world and is one important part of addressing Food security and that is why our delegation is hear and the objective of the visit to the AU is to discuss relevant Programs and cooperation projects in terms of Food Security,Food Safety and Postharvest Loss Management under the framework of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative initiative” he noted.

The collaboration will help both organization in achieving China’s “Belt and Road” initiative that is well aligned with the AU Agenda 2063 and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), and that food cooperation constitutes an important part for the Parties to strengthen all-round cooperation;
The MOU aims to:

(1) promote the establishment of a formal cooperation mechanism in the field of food;
(2) strengthen exchanges and cooperation in food security strategy, policy and planning;
(3) synergize policies and plans through various forms including high-level exchanges, official visits, joint consultations, joint planning, joint advocacy and technical contacts;
(4) enhance project cooperation in the field of food.

For media inquiries, contact:
Esther Azaa Tankou, Head of Information Division, +2519113611, e-mail yamboue@africaunion.org
Mr.Stephen Kwaku Darko| Information and Communications Officer, Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission | Tel: +251(0) 953406832 | E-mail: DarkoS@africa-union.org