Mr Deputy Director General, Jean-Marie Paugam,
Mr President, Steve Wearne,
Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends, dear colleagues and friends,
Hello and welcome. It is a pleasure for me and my brother Qu Dongyu to welcome you here to reaffirm our common commitment to protecting health and fair practices in the food trade.
This year we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization.
Allow me to extend a particularly warm welcome to our colleague, the Deputy Director-General of the WTO, Mr. Jean-Marie Paugam.
The long-standing collaboration between Codex and the WTO has contributed to making Codex standards international benchmarks.
This partnership has played a vital role in facilitating international trade and ensuring food safety, particularly in low-income countries.
Over the past 30 years, the WTO has expanded global trade, raised living standards, created jobs and supported sustainable development.
The WTO also strives to promote international standards from Codex, the World Organization for Animal Health and the International Plant Protection Convention, while respecting the levels of protection of its Members.
However, the global food landscape is changing rapidly – and we must evolve with it.
Climate change has profound impacts on food systems and has significant consequences for both nutrition and food safety.
Changing temperatures on land and water and extreme weather events influence the quality and safety of food supplies.
At the same time, industrial food production systems pose public health concerns, such as antimicrobial resistance, and have environmental consequences that contribute to climate change and resource depletion.
Additionally, while international trade can improve food availability and diversity, it also creates vulnerabilities.
When countries are heavily dependent on a limited number of suppliers to meet their food needs, they are exposed to market fluctuations, geopolitical tensions and climate disruptions.
Trade has consequences on what is imported, but also on what is cultivated.
For example, protectionist policies and subsidies often prioritize staple food crops, limiting agricultural diversity, reducing the sustainability of food systems and further degrading nutrition.
They can also support the low-cost production of ingredients such as corn syrup or palm oil, which are used to produce ultra-processed foods with no nutritional value.
This has had the effect of discouraging the consumption of unsubsidized or less subsidized staples, such as fruits, vegetables and pulses, and reducing their diversity, as these are comparatively less expensive.
It is therefore essential that trade policies are aligned with food security objectives, but also nutrition objectives, and that neither customs tariffs nor quotas hinder public health objectives.
These priorities are not incompatible – it is not a zero-sum game. Multilateral trade organizations and cooperation can create growth, ensure food security and better nutrition for all, and harness trade for sustainable development.
To respond to these evolving challenges, Codex must continue to support the transformation of food systems so that they are more sustainable and resilient and more responsive to emerging risks.
Codex standards must not only respond to present realities, but also anticipate future needs, promote nutrition and food safety while ensuring public health, promote fair trade and facilitate the transition towards sustainable food systems.
Before leaving you, I would like to make three requests.
First of all, I urge you to prioritize health, which should be the non-negotiable basis of all your decisions.
Second, I urge you to consider the health impacts of food systems holistically, addressing key aspects such as food safety, nutrition and antimicrobial resistance.
For example, to protect public health, it is essential to eliminate harmful industrial trans fatty acids from our diet.
Third, I urge you to base your guidance on the most recent science, taking into account the overall effects of factors such as pesticide residues and food additives on human health.
By basing our efforts on these principles, we can build stronger, healthier and more sustainable food systems for all, while promoting fair trade.
Closer collaboration between international organizations remains essential.
By deepening these partnerships, we can improve Codex efficiency, mobilize resources and adopt an integrated One Health approach to address complex global challenges.
Finally, this week, you will vote to appoint a new president and three vice-presidents.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the outgoing President, Steve Wearne, and the Vice Presidents, Allan Azegele, Raj Rajasekar and Diego Varela, for their dedication over the past three years.
Thank you.
What concrete steps can Codex Alimentarius Commission take to ensure that its food safety and quality standards are inclusive and responsive to the needs and challenges of developing countries?
## Interview: Navigating the Complexities of Food Security and Trade
**Introduction:**
Welcome to World-Today-News.com’s in-depth interview exploring the crucial intersection of food security, trade, and global health. Today, we’re joined by two distinguished guests:
* **Mr. Jean-Marie Paugam,** Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
* **Mr. Steve Wearne,** Former President of Codex Alimentarius Commission
We delve into insights from Mr. Dongyu’s powerful speech commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Marrakesh Agreement, exploring the evolving challenges and collaborative opportunities in ensuring safe, sustainable, and equitable food systems for all.
**Section 1: The Evolution of the Food Landscape**
* **Mr. Paugam:** Mr. Dongyu highlights the profound impacts of climate change on food systems. In your view, how can the WTO best leverage its role in facilitating global trade to mitigate these challenges and build more resilient food systems?
* **Mr. Wearne:** The speech also touches upon the public health concerns associated with industrial food production. What steps can Codex, in collaboration with other organizations, take to address issues like antimicrobial resistance and promote sustainable agricultural practices within the global food trade?
**Section 2: The Intersection of Trade and Health**
* **Mr. Wearne:** Mr. Dongyu emphasizes the need for trade policies aligned with food security and nutrition objectives. What are some concrete examples of how trade policies could be revised to better support public health goals without hindering economic growth?
* ** Mr. Paugam:** The speech criticizes protectionist policies that can lead to a lack of agricultural diversity and the dominance of less nutritious, heavily subsidized food staples. How can the WTO work to promote more equitable trade practices that incentivize diversification and prioritize the production of healthier food options?
**Section 3: The Future of Global Food Governance **
* **Mr. Paugam:** Mr. Dongyu calls for a closer collaboration between international organizations like the WTO and Codex. What specific mechanisms can be put in place to strengthen this partnership and ensure a more holistic and integrated approach to tackling complex global food challenges?
* **Mr. Wearne:** Looking forward, what key priorities should Codex focus on to ensure its standards remain relevant and adaptable to a rapidly changing food landscape? How can Codex leverage its influence to promote sustainable food systems and enhance global food security?
**Section 4: Concluding Remarks**
* **Joint Response:** What message would you like to leave our audience with regarding the importance of international cooperation, scientific evidence, and a commitment to public health in shaping the future of our global food systems?
**Closing:**
Thank you both for sharing your valuable insights and expertise. This conversation highlights the crucial need for continuous dialogue and collaborative action to ensure a future where food security, trade, and public health are mutually reinforcing pillars of a sustainable and equitable world.
