CEO Leads Delegation at the 6th IHFAF Meeting in Santiago, Chile

The Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, led the Authority's delegation participating in the 6th annual meeting of the International Heads of Food Agencies Forum (IHFAF) held in Santiago, Chile. The meeting, which took place from April 9-11, 2025, centered on the theme "Innovation, Technology and Digital Transformation in Food Safety." It brought together leaders from food safety agencies worldwide to discuss strategies for leveraging technologies to enhance global food safety systems.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the SFDA, co-chaired a significant session titled "Artificial Intelligence (AI) and New Technologies Used in Food Safety Inspection." During this session, the SFDA highlighted its initiatives in adopting advanced technologies for food inspection and control, emphasizing the positive impact on enhancing compliance with quality standards. This adoption ultimately contributes to improved public health by ensuring the safety of food products available in the markets.

The meeting sessions highlighted the crucial role of digital transformation in the food sector and explored how artificial intelligence and new technologies can improve the efficiency of inspection within food control authorities. Discussions also covered best practices for risk communication and information management, essential for ensuring food quality and safety amidst rapid technological advancements.

The SFDA's active participation in this prominent international meeting underscores its ongoing commitment to enhancing collaboration with global counterparts. It reaffirms the Authority's leading role in facilitating the exchange of expertise and knowledge, further solidifying its position as a key reference regulatory body in the realm of food safety.

Notably, the SFDA is a founding member of the International Forum of Heads of Food Regulatory Authorities (IHFAF), which held its inaugural meeting in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, in 2020, with the overarching goal of unifying global efforts to elevate food safety and quality standards.