The Fiji Government, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, has formally launched a multi-agency drive to strengthen the national food safety system as part of a regional initiative supporting public health and food security in Fiji and Tonga.
Speaking at the FAO Inception Workshop held in Suva today (29.07.25), the Permanent Secretary for Trade, Co-operatives, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communications, Mr. Shaheen Ali, reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to building a food safety regime that is trusted, responsive, and digitally empowered.
“When we talk about food safety, we are talking about trust,” said Mr. Ali. “Trust that the food we serve our families is safe, that businesses comply with the law, and that our enforcement is coordinated and credible.”
PS Ali noted that more than 125 million people fall ill each year in the Western Pacific region due to unsafe food, highlighting the urgent need for robust systems. He commended the FAO’s support and the establishment of Fiji’s National Food Safety Taskforce earlier this year under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Manoa Kamikamica.
Since its inception, the Taskforce, comprising agencies including Health, Agriculture, Trade, Customs, Biosecurity, FCCC, Consumer Council and municipal councils, has conducted over 130 joint inspections, shut down non-compliant establishments, and coordinated enforcement across sectors.
“We now have a Taskforce that doesn’t just meet, it acts,” Mr. Ali said.
“This is about turning laws and policies into real protections.”
He further acknowledged that enforcement alone is not enough. With many laboratory systems outdated or overstretched, the FAO-supported TCP/SAP/4004 initiative will bolster Fiji’s testing capacity and risk-based diagnostic protocols while strengthening public outreach and risk communication to ensure citizens and food businesses understand food safety responsibilities.
In line with Fiji’s National Digital Strategy, Mr. Ali highlighted ongoing reforms to digitise licensing and food safety approval systems. Through platforms like the Fiji Integrated License and Permits Approval System (FILPAS) and the forthcoming Trade Single Window, the Government is streamlining approvals, border controls, and enforcement using data-driven tools.
“Smarter regulation requires smarter tools,” Mr. Ali said.
“By embedding food safety into our digital public service ecosystem, we remove red tape while enhancing protection.”
Mr. Ali called on all stakeholders to turn the momentum of the Workshop into meaningful, lasting reform.
“Let’s move from vision to action and deliver a food safety system worthy of the trust our citizens place in us.”
The Workshop is part of a wider FAO initiative aimed at modernising national food control systems across the Pacific, ensuring safer food, healthier communities, and stronger economic outcomes for all.