Food Safety Arrangement signed with Indonesia

Food Safety Minister Jo Goodhew has today welcomed the signing of a Food Safety Arrangement between New Zealand and Indonesia.

“Signing of the Food Safety Arrangement demonstrates the commitment of New Zealand and Indonesia to further develop our bilateral relationship,” says Mrs Goodhew, who met with Indonesian delegates earlier today.

“The areas of cooperation range from food safety risk assessments through to formal post graduate education programmes in food safety and technology.”

“This Food Safety Arrangement aims to increase cooperation and promote recognition and consistency, as appropriate, between the regulatory systems of the two countries.

“With its 250 million consumers Indonesia is not only an important market for New Zealand’s food exports, it is also a key member of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) with which Australia and New Zealand have a Free Trade Agreement.”

“Signing of the Food Safety Arrangement is an important step towards strengthening our already strong relationship with Indonesia and the ASEAN region in general, and I look forward to seeing further progress in this area,” says Mrs Goodhew.

The Food Safety Arrangement was signed today in Wellington by Martyn Dunne, Director-General Ministry for Primary Industries, and Roy Sparringa, Chairman of the Indonesian National Agency of Drug and Food Control.

ends

© Scoop Media