Latest news with #NationalStakeholderConsultation
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Industry must follow ethical practices in labelling, advertising food products: Govt
New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday asked industries to follow ethical practices in labelling and advertisements of food products to ensure public health and protect consumer interest. The concern was raised at a National Stakeholder Consultation on the subject, 'Comprehensive Analysis of Regulatory Framework on Food Labelling, Advertisement and Claims,' the Health Ministry said in a statement. The consultation was organised by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. At the event, MHFW Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava stressed the importance of ethical and truthful practices in labelling and advertising in the food sector. According to the statement, she said, "Things are changing rapidly today. We are now exposed to the entire world, which means we must adopt many positive changes and best practices, while also scrutinizing food products more closely." Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, asked the industry to make "truthful and honest declarations" and desist from misleading ads. "Food labelling should not just be a marketing tool, but it should also be treated as the most essential factor of trust between a manufacturer and a consumer. We want truthful and honest declaration of whatever is contained in the food product, and the consumer should be left to make the final choice," Khare said. The consultation was attended by around 700 representatives from central and state governments, scientific experts, food businesses, industry associations, consumer organizations, and academic institutions.>
Mint
5 days ago
- Health
- Mint
Stakeholder consultation by FSSAI charts roadmap for transparent, responsible food labelling in India
New Delhi [India], August 13 (ANI): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) convened a high-level National Stakeholder Consultation on Food Labelling, Advertisement and Claims here in the national capital, bringing together over 700 participants from government, industry, academia, consumer bodies, and regulatory authorities. According to a statement from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the consultation aimed to review existing regulations, address implementation challenges, and align India's standards with global best practices to boost consumer protection, public health, and industry innovation. In her inaugural address, Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava stressed the importance of ethical and truthful practices in the rapidly evolving food sector. "We are now exposed to the entire world, which means we must adopt positive changes and scrutinise food products more closely," she noted, adding that such consultations are "vital" in shaping future policy. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, called for an end to misleading advertising and urged manufacturers to treat labelling as a "factor of trust" rather than merely a marketing tool. "Consumers should be left to make the final choice based on truthful and honest declarations," she emphasised, urging collective responsibility to ensure accuracy and transparency in product information. Sanjeev Sanyal, Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, underscored the need for external validation of scientific claims in advertisements. He welcomed FSSAI's decision to implement all label changes annually on July 1, reducing uncertainty for the labelling industry. Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Prabhat, warned against false health and nutrition claims, highlighting their potential to erode public trust and harm health. The event featured technical sessions on global and Indian regulatory frameworks, enforcement case studies, and interactive discussions. Stakeholders exchanged insights on industry accountability, consumer rights, and collaborative enforcement strategies, resulting in actionable recommendations to enhance transparency and trust in food labelling and advertising. This consultation is part of FSSAI's ongoing national dialogue series aimed at building practical, health-aligned policies through close collaboration with industry, academia, and consumer organizations. (ANI)
Al-Ahram Weekly
07-03-2025
- Science
- Al-Ahram Weekly
AI ethics at the forefront
The National Stakeholder Consultation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence was launched recently to assess Egypt's readiness to adopt AI in a sustainable and responsible manner and support national policies and strategies. The consultation, funded by the European Union, was launched by the UNESCO Cairo Regional Office in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT). 'This event is a cornerstone of our work. We must ensure that the rules of laws are in place and policy frameworks must be built to limit negative impacts or repercussions while guiding the development and deployment of AI systems to interact with national priorities and address global challenges,' Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO assistant director-general for Social and Human Sciences, said in a video message during the launch event. Nuria Sanz, director of UNESCO's regional office for Egypt and Sudan, described the consultations as the first step in preparing for close cooperation between MCIT in Egypt and the UNESCO office in Cairo. Sanz said it was in full alignment with the second phase of Egypt's AI strategy launched in January, with ethics at the centre of the discussion 'for the good of humanity'. Egypt began to give special importance to AI in 2019, according to Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat. Talaat said the first version of the national strategy included several work axes, foremost among which was expanding the base of trained cadres. In cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education, 12 colleges specialised in AI were established, including the University of Egypt for Informatics, the first university specialised in communications and information technology in Africa. There was also a steady expansion in various training initiatives that aim to develop skills in AI to prepare a generation capable of using the technology. To implement the strategy, the Applied Innovation Centre was established, implementing projects using modern technologies to build systems in various fields, with a focus on providing technological solutions in agriculture, health care and language recognition, especially Arabic, whether classical or colloquial Egyptian, and converting spoken text into written text and vice versa, with translation in a number of languages, Talaat said. The government is keen to ensure that the use of AI technology is associated with concern over its ethics, Talaat stressed. It also targets improving the skills of the public in line with the requirements of the current and future labour market, adding that the Egyptian Charter for Responsible Artificial Intelligence was launched in 2023, leading to Egypt jumping 50 places in the artificial intelligence classification indicators from 2020 to 2024. In January, Egypt unveiled its second National Strategy for AI (2025-2030), aiming to establish an inclusive AI framework that accelerates the vision of a digital Egypt. It aims to expand computing infrastructure, enabling companies working in artificial intelligence to obtain data that enables them to develop AI applications while protecting data privacy. The strategy also targets training and expanding a skills base, expanding the construction of applications using such technology, raising community awareness about the technology and supporting emerging companies. 'The strategy is designed to enhance development in various sectors, deepen regional and international cooperation, and position Egypt as a leading hub for AI in Africa and the Arab region,' Talaat added. Egypt is president of the Arab Artificial Intelligence and African Artificial Intelligence groups in the African Union, Talaat noted, adding that efforts within these two groups resulted in formulating a unified Arab vision for AI and preparing a continental AI strategy for the African Union. * A version of this article appears in print in the 6 March, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
