First Annual General Meeting of the WHO Alliance for Food Safety
Participants at the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the WHO Alliance for Food Safety.
Muscat, Oman, October 2025 – The WHO Alliance for Food Safety held its first Annual General Meeting in Muscat, Oman, hosted by the Food Safety and Quality Centre (FSQC). The meeting brought together WHO Collaborating Centres and partners from all WHO regions to reflect on progress, share experiences, and plan the next phase of collective work to advance the implementation of the WHO Global Strategy for Food Safety (2022–2030).
Launched in May 2024, the Alliance now brings together over 30 institutions and more than 100 active participants. The Muscat meeting marked its first in-person Annual General Meeting following a virtual one-year milestone meeting in June 2025.
Strategic collaboration for safer food
Discussions highlighted the Alliance’s growing role as a global coordination mechanism for implementing the WHO Global Strategy for Food Safety, which has so far focused its efforts on foodborne disease surveillance and food contamination monitoring. Members shared country experiences and explored new ways to strengthen collaboration, mentorship, and regional cooperation, particularly across the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Despite ongoing challenges and emergencies in the region, participants demonstrated strong commitment to collective progress and knowledge exchange.
Participants at the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the WHO Alliance for Food Safety.
Technical progress and key achievements
The meeting highlighted major milestones from the Alliance’s first year of work, including the completion of the second edition of the WHO manuals on foodborne disease surveillance and response, now being prepared for publication. Updates were also shared on the development of the 2025 edition of the global foodborne disease estimates and the forthcoming and first-ever WHO Global Report on Food Safety, both of which will reinforce the evidence base for decision-making and policy action.
Through its working groups, the Alliance has transitioned from concept to delivery, demonstrating how collective expertise and shared priorities can accelerate progress more efficiently than isolated efforts.
Conclusions and recommendations
Participants reaffirmed the Alliance’s strategic role in coordinated technical collaboration and emphasized several priorities for the coming year:
- Strengthen coordination across regions and networks, including collaboration with INFOSAN and other relevant networks;
- Expand membership, particularly among WHO Collaborating Centres for food safety, to enhance technical diversity;
- Increase visibility through proactive communication, webinars, and international engagement;
- Support countries in applying WHO guidance through capacity-building, mentorship, and pilot activities; and
- Use forthcoming WHO reports and manuals to advocate for greater investment and policy action in food safety.
Participants at the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the WHO Alliance for Food Safety.
WHO extends its appreciation to the entire FSQC team for their hospitality and leadership in hosting this milestone event, and to all speakers and participants for their contributions to advancing food safety globally.