Hisham bin Saad Al-Jadhey

SFDA actively engages in international regulatory events and contributes to the development of standards globally, while also working closely with ministries and local entities in the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia is actively promoting a vision for a healthier and more sustainable future. Can you elaborate on SFDA’s role in supporting these national objectives?

SFDA regulates all the products related to health, and with Vision 2030 we oversee various aspects in terms of the regulation of food and medicine. We approach the industry from a health perspective. Saudi Arabia has excellent practices for food and drugs, and it aims to further improve the health of the communities living within the Kingdom. As far as the food and drug industry is concerned, over the years we have been working on the consolidation of our network with international institutions. We have introduced the highest and best international standards in a bid to further attract leading companies and manufacturers to the Kingdom. Furthermore, manufacturers, especially those in medicine and vaccines, require enough laboratories because they cannot move forward without such capabilities. SFDA is a key enabler of the potential of KSA’s industrial sector as a strong regulator that serves Saudi Arabia’s goal to boost the results of existing manufacturers, while creating the ecosystem that will attract the right quality of investors to invest in the manufacturing industry of the future.

How does SFDA cooperate with counterparts and organizations to enhance its regulatory efforts while supporting the promotion of the “Made in Saudi” brand?

We are a key enabler of not only KSA but also the entire region. SFDA participates in many international regulatory events and is even leading the way on this. We have a strong team that works hand in hand with a technical department that focuses on international relations. In September, we led a committee in Rome in the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) offices. In addition, SFDA is the president of a committee for the Near East countries that oversees 19 countries for food standards, for example. As far as food is concerned, Saudi Arabia is contributing significantly to the development of new standards via a series of workshops that will boost the performance of the entire region. We have similar initiatives in pharmaceuticals, medicine, and medical devices and are even expanding in cosmetics to play a leading role in the international arena. For example, SFDA promoted the adoption of new standards that are now adopted internationally. At a national level, we will continue to cement our dialogues with other ministries and local entities; for example, we work closely with the Ministry of Industry to enhance the regulation framework and introduce new standards for the booming food industry. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia had numerous well-established local manufacturers and producers that have been active for decades and were unable to register their products or export them, and SFDA was able to help them comply with both national and international regulations. We even help manufacturers by advising them on the equipment they require or how to expand. With our support, many Saudi businesses have since successfully exported their products, which not only benefits the national economy but also the image of the country as a whole.

What are SFDA’s main objectives for the coming year?

We have started working on our strategic plan for 2023-2027, with a focus on the safety of products, local and international collaboration, and operational excellence. In 2024, we will focus heavily on raising greater awareness both locally and internationally about food safety using KSA’s extremely sophisticated IT infrastructure. In terms of local and international collaboration, we will continue to work with not only businesses and manufacturers but also healthcare professionals, those who work on farms, and others.