Damascus, March 10 (SANA) – Syria’s Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Maher Khalil al-Hassan discussed with a team from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) the possibility of establishing a national food safety authority in Syria.
During the meeting, held Tuesday via video conference, the two sides reviewed the regulatory and legislative frameworks required to establish the proposed body, as well as ways to strengthen the technical capacities of the Food Safety Directorate and its laboratories.
Al-Hassan highlighted the importance of the authority in regulating the food sector and enhancing oversight mechanisms in line with international standards, which would help protect consumers and improve the quality of food products available on the market.
He also noted that the administration has specialized and trained staff in food inspection who could contribute to supporting the work of the proposed authority, adding that improving food safety systems would enhance confidence in Syrian products and support export opportunities.
For their part, UNIDO representatives expressed readiness to provide technical support, exchange expertise and contribute to capacity-building efforts aimed at strengthening Syria’s food safety framework.
Founded in 1966, UNIDO works to promote industrial development and international cooperation in the industrial sector and became a specialized UN agency in 1985.
