The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Portuguese Food and Economic Safety Authority (AESA). The signing took place in the presence of the Minister of Economy and Planning, H.E. Faisal F. Alibrahim, on the sidelines of the Saudi-Portuguese Joint Commission chaired by the Ministry.

The SFDA was represented at the signing ceremony by the CEO, H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey while the Portuguese side was represented by the Inspector General of AESA, Mr. Luís Lourenço.

The MoU establishes a comprehensive framework for cooperation between the two authorities in their respective areas of expertise, enhancing capacity building and expanding the exchange of expertise. 

Key areas of cooperation included, exchanging, updating, and strengthening legislation, technical regulations, and standards; sharing expertise related to product registration, reporting mechanisms, and systems to support efficient oversight; and collaborating on scientific evaluation methods and advanced risk analysis. This also includes cooperating on methods for collecting, transporting, and analyzing laboratory and reference samples, as well as procedures for monitoring and inspecting product supply chains.

This memorandum embodies the commitment of both the SFDA and AESA to developing international cooperation, ultimately contributing to enhancing product safety and quality, improving the efficiency of regulatory systems, and supporting joint efforts to serve consumers in both countries.