Saudi, Korean officials discuss boosting food and drug safety cooperation

Hisham bin Saad Aljadhey, CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, met with Oh Yoo-kyoung, Minister of Food and Drug Safety of South Korea, on the sidelines of the annual summit of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA).

The meeting reviewed ongoing cooperation between the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety under a memorandum of understanding signed in 2023, which aims to strengthen collaboration in food, drug, and medical products sectors.

Both sides discussed advancing joint cooperation, particularly in the joint scientific evaluation of pharmaceuticals, as well as sharing expertise and best practices in food monitoring and traceability.

They also explored opportunities for collaboration in managing foodborne disease risks and exchanging expertise to enhance regulatory effectiveness, in addition to cooperation in the halal sector. The meeting was attended by the Korean technical team specializing in foodborne diseases, representatives from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, and the Saudi Halal Center.

On the sidelines of the summit, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority chief also held bilateral meetings with regulatory heads from Egypt, Portugal, Japan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom to discuss topics of mutual interest and strengthen regulatory cooperation.