Findings on the assessment of the status of food safety programs with data collected on the availability of food safety legislature and their coverage, food inspection systems, mechanisms for monitoring of food exports and imports, surveillance systems for food-borne diseases and microbiological monitoring, human resource development and public education, by the WHO in 2002, indicated a number of drawbacks in the entire Food Safety agenda in the African Region. The response of some 28 countries in the WHO African Region showed:
· No mechanism to ensure adequate exchange of technical information on SPS and food safety issues on regular basis, thus information available within one agency is often not shared with or accessed by others;
· Significant gaps in national food legislation and inadequate linkages between strategies to ensure food safety for all;
· Existing laws were outdated, overly prescriptive therefore fail to adequately address the whole range of food related issues in Africa;
· Duplication of functions of food control systems due to absence of clear guidelines on responsibilities and mandates;
· Lack of transparency systems and procedures which will ensure proper dissemination of information to consumers and stakeholders on both sporadic cases of food-born illnesses and food safety emergencies;
· Inadequate thorough training of employees on Good Hygienic Practices (GHPs) using the Codex Specific guidelines especially at farm levels;
· Lack of education for street food vendors on safe food handling and personal hygiene;
· Achieving basic food hygiene is made difficult by the lack of necessary sanitation infrastructure in many areas of the region and segments of the food systems;
· Lack of funds to carry out food safety programs within the region;
· Lack of a proper framework for cooperation and collaboration in the control of informal food imports across the porous borders of countries within the region;
· Lack of a regional information-sharing network which may include components such as a website, regular publications and other existing modes of communication on food safety issues on regular basis