Continental-Level Policy Frameworks and Initiatives

There is strong continental commitment to food safety, as evidenced by the African Union (AU) Member States’ adoption of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Framework for Africa (2019–2024). This framework supports Member States in establishing harmonized, science-based SPS systems, aligned with international standards and regional conditions. It also guides the operationalization of Annex 7 (SPS Measures) under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) Agreement.

The SPS framework has driven the development of complementary strategies, such as the Food Safety Strategy for Africa (2022–2036), which includes objectives to:

• Strengthen policy, legal, and institutional frameworks for food safety;
• Build national and regional capacity for policy formulation and implementation;
• Promote regulatory innovations, particularly within the informal food sector.

Further demonstrating high-level commitment, AU Member States recently adopted the Statute for the Establishment of a Continental Food Safety Agency. The Agency’s mandate includes:

• Advocacy and support for the modernization of national food safety systems;
• Coordination with international bodies such as Codex Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA) and the African Regional Organization for Standardization (ARSO);
• Facilitating investment and collaboration to enhance the competitiveness of African food products.

These continental initiatives are well-aligned with broader frameworks including the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), WTO SPS and TBT Agreements, Codex Alimentarius standards, the WHO Global Food Safety Strategy, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).