The Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA) says that the Kingdom is determined to fight fraud and piracy. It made the comments ahead of the 2nd Arab Forum for Consumer Protection Against Commercial Fraud and Counterfeiting that is to be held in Riyadh next week.
“(Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques) King Abdullah’s patronage of the forum will engender greater awareness about the damage caused by commercial fraud and counterfeiting,” said SFDA’s Executive Chairman Dr. Mohammad bin Ahmad Alkanhal in a statement on Sunday.
Alkanhal said commercial fraud does not only cause damage to the health and safety of consumers but also to the Kingdom’s economy. “This forum is an important platform for all relevant authorities in the subject of commercial fraud, whether at the level of the executive bodies in the public sector and its related entities in the private sector and regional and international bodies, or at the level of studies and academic research,” he said.
He also emphasized that the conference represents a good opportunity to review successful experiences and working papers, adding that the accompanying workshops will contribute effectively to shed more light on the problem of commercial fraud and counterfeiting.
“The forum will focus on the best practices and success stories from around the world regarding effective means to inform, build capacity and take effective action to mitigate the damages of counterfeiting and piracy,” he said.
The forum will also include working papers on “fraud in some of the goods monitored by the SFDA.”
The key sectors to be represented in the forum include electronics, electrical appliances, information and communication technology, pharmaceuticals, auto parts, consumer products, luxury goods, cosmetics film, multimedia, sporting goods, watches and personal accessories.
A series of workshops, road shows and training seminars will be developed and carried out for awareness and capacity building in association with key private and public sector leaders such as the chambers of commerce, ministries, enforcement agencies, NGOs and the public at large.
Alkanhal also lauded the strategic partnership between the Saudi Customs Authority (SCA) and SFDA, and the continuous collaboration and coordination to achieve the goals of the Saudi leadership.
He also commended SCA’s efforts to protect the local market from counterfeit goods and products that flood the country as a result of the open markets and the Kingdom’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
“This has resulted in a huge responsibility on the shoulders of the Saudi Customs, being the body entrusted with ensuring the safety and quality of imported goods and products through issuing decisions and regulations to control the flow of these products,” he said.
Arab News