The head of the Food and Drug Authority heads the Kingdom's delegation at the 49th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX) in Geneva

The CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Dr. Hisham bin Saad Al-Jadhi, headed the Kingdom's delegation participating in the 49th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 6 to 10, 2026, with attendance from Codex leaders, representatives from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), member countries, and observers. The session opened with speeches from the heads of FAO, WHO, and the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Dr. Alan Adjili. The meeting discusses a number of agenda items related to the activities of the specialized Codex committees, capacity-building activities, and scientific support, in addition to addressing emerging issues in food safety and the implementation of the Codex strategic plan. The Codex Alimentarius Commission is a joint body of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), established in 1963, comprising 189 member countries, and supervises the preparation of international food standards through its committees and specialized technical working groups. It is noteworthy that the Kingdom joined the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 1968 and currently holds the position of Vice President of the Commission since its election in 2024, along with its membership in the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.