Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Food safety

Caribbean countries take part in the Regional Colloquium of the Codex Alimentarius

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The meeting, organized by IICA and the United States Department of Agriculture, is the third to be held in Latin America this year.

Montevideo, Uruguay, August 4, 2015 (IICA). A Codex Alimentarius colloquium, a meeting in which 22 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries will endeavor to establish common positions on international food safety standards, will be getting under way in Uruguay today.

The event is organized by IICA and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Among the participants in the activity, which will take place in the Sheraton Montevideo Hotel, will be the Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries of the host country, Tabaré Aguerre; the Representative of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in Uruguay, Antonio Donizetti; and the President of the Technological Laboratory of Uruguay, Fernando Fontán.

Others taking part will be the representative of the Codex coordinating office for LAC, Cassandra Pacheco, and the US manager for Codex Alimentarius, Mary Frances Lowe.

The event, organized by IICA and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), is an opportunity for the countries to identify regional positions of mutual interest and develop participation strategies for the forthcoming international Codex meetings on food hygiene, nutrition and foods for special dietary uses, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Delegates will be attending from Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, the US, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Uruguay.

Codex Alimentarius is the benchmark organization for food safety standards, recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO). Its science-based standards contribute to safety, quality, and equity in international food trade.

The Codex in Uruguay

The National Codex Alimentarius Committee is made up of the ministries responsible for livestock, agriculture and fisheries; industry, energy and mines; foreign affairs; housing, land use planning and environment; public health; and economic affairs and finance. A representative of the National Congress of Mayors and the Codex contact point in Uruguay are also members of the committee, which is chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

More information:
antonio.donizetti@iica.int 

Share

Related news​

Buenos Aires, Argentina

August 8, 2025

At the AAPRESID Congress, participants affirm their conviction that agriculture is destined to play a crucial role in energy security, creating an opportunity for Latin America

The discussion on the contribution of agriculture to energy security was organized in a strategic partnership with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), which, after its successful participation in the Congress in 2024, is once again playing a prominent role, with a special panel of experts session, a photo exhibition, and a side event focused on AgTechs.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Buenos Aires, Argentina

August 8, 2025

New narrative for agriculture must be jointly developed and address consumers’ needs, agree participants at AAPRESID Conference, with noteworthy participation by IICA

The three-day conference will spotlight key issues related to the future of agriculture, which must drive innovation in science and production. For the second consecutive year, IICA is participating actively in the conference, one of the year’s most important events for the agriculture sector in Latin America.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Buenos Aires, Argentina

August 7, 2025

IICA will serve as a bridge for intensified trade and agricultural cooperation between Argentina and Central America and the Caribbean, as the former pledges to spearhead actions in Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

At a meeting with senior officials of the Argentinian government, ministers of Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines explored new agribusiness and cooperation opportunities in the application of genetics in beef production, dairy farming and beekeeping, among other areas, with a view to expanding trade between Argentina and the Caribbean and Central America.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins