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Democratic Republic of Congo

General Information

Key Legal Documents

Links to Organisations involved in Food Law

Information (listed by date)

2005

• Document: FAO/WHO Regional Conference on Food Safety for Africa, Zimbabwe , 3-6 October 2005 by WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
• Source: International, Regional, Sub Regional and National Cooperation in Food Safety in Africa.
• Extract: In the Democratic Republic of Congo, through several decrees, the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for animal health, the Ministry of Health for food safety and hygiene at the borders, the Ministry of External Trade for export and import inspection and the Ministry of Justice for food regulation.
• Link: http://www.sarpn.org.za/documents/d0001653/P2002-FAO_WHO_food-safety_Oct2005.pdf

• Document: Report of the Sixteenth Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa.
• Source: Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme Codex Alimentarius Commission , 4 – 9 July 2005.
• Extract: The Republic of Congo is a large importer of foods. The import volume does not correspond to the level of food control. The Republic of the Congo’s food safety programme is in the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS). Despite the existence of this programme, the national authorities have been unable to focus on the issue because: (i) there is no food control infrastructure to ensure food quality and safety; (ii) there are no routine activities at the laboratory of the Centre for Veterinary and Livestock Research (CRVZ) and (iii) there are no regulations on the safety of food on import and export. The Republic of Congo has no legislation on food safety and quality; no national food quality control standards, codes or texts. The Plant Protection Service has proposed a draft legislation which is currently sent for adoption. There was no (bilateral, sub regional or regional) collaboration with other countries on food legislation and food control given the absence of the national legislation. Congolese consumers are grouped under two associations which are regrettably unable to carry out food quality control analyses due to a lack of funds. They have to rely on visual (physical) control, although quality implies chemical, physical, biological, microbiological and many other aspects.
• Link: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/download/report/632/al28_28e.pdf

2003

• Document: Report of the Fifteenth Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa.
• Source: Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme Codex Alimentarius Commission, 30 June – 5 July 2003.
• Extract: Food safety in the Republic of the Congo is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and Population in collaboration with ministries of Agriculture, and Trade and Industry. Thanks to good collaboration between agencies, food inspection is fairly adequate despite the insufficient means of enforcement. Several activities relating to food surveillance and control have been implemented. However, the Delegation requested FAO and WHO to strengthen control capacities. The Republic of the Congo participated in some of Codex Committee meetings such as the Codex Committee on General Principles. Food safety is a major concern of the Government of the Republic of the Congo.
• Link: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/download/report/407/Al03_28e.pdf

2002

• Document: Improving Efficiency and Transparency in Food Safety Systems Sharing Experiences.
• Source: FAO/WHO Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators, Marrakesh, Morocco, 28 - 30 January 2002.
• Extract: Situated in central Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo is confronted with many food safety emergency situations, augmented by its location in equatorial and sub-tropical areas subject to many communicable diseases transmissible to humans from animals (zoonoses). The current unstable political situation within the Democratic Republic of Congo has resulted in scarce official monitoring, insufficient food quality control and a lack of financial and logistic means required to review and test food. Priorities include the food production chain, imported food control, risks linked to inappropriate transportation and conservation. Common foodborne diseases (enterobacteriae provoked/caused toxi-infection due to enterobacteriae and to vibrios cholerae among others and emerging diseases (Ebola virus, ESB...) and other food contamination are present in the country. Poor living conditions are the main roots of this decrease of public health in the country. Although national expertise exists to identify hazards, logistic resources (e.g., laboratory equipment) as well as training programmes of technical staff are missing. The technical assistance and financial support of the United Nations are required to establish a real capacity building strategy on food control facilities and procedures within the country.
• Link: http://www.fao.org/docrep/meeting/004/Y3680E/Y3680E09.htm

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