INFOSAN Regional

Meeting Asia-Pacific
Participant Handbook
2023
WHO HQ
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Table of
contents
Welcome Message 01

Agenda 02

Venue Information 04

Hybrid Meeting Guidelines 07

What to expect at the meeting? 08

Other information 09

Resources 11

Contact Information 12
 01

Dear Distinguished Participants, We want everyone to have safe

food everywhere, strengthening
Welcome to the Bi-regional food safety systems, and
Hybrid Meeting: Enhancing reducing the burden of
INFOSAN in the Asia-Pacific foodborne diseases. Your active
Region. Your presence shows involvement is crucial for these
your commitment to making tasks.
food safer in this part of the
world and globally. In the next Thanks for being a key part of
few days, we're excited about INFOSAN. We're looking forward to
talking and sharing ideas. We your great ideas and
want to build stronger participation.
connections to handle food
safety problems together. Kind regards,

Together, we're making INFOSAN INFOSAN Secretariat

stronger in Asia-Pacific.

Welcome Message
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Agenda
Tentative
DAY 1 | 5 December 2023 – Room M205 (all hours are CET-Geneva time)
SESSION 1 | Opening Ceremony and Keynote Address

9:00-9:15 Opening Remarks WPRO/SEARO, FAO, MFDS

9:15-9:45 Introduction of participants WHO INFOSAN Secretariat

9:45-10:00 Meeting Objectives WHO INFOSAN Secretariat

Keynote: Experience of the RoK with INFOSAN

Food Safety Information and Follow-up Response in
10:00-10:30 ROK (Risk Information Division) Republic of Korea (ROK)
Quality Management System of Food Inspection in ROK
(Laboratory Audit & Policy Division

10:30-10:40 GROUP PHOTO AND COFFEE BREAK

SESSION 2 | Food Safety Status in the Region - the role of FAO and WHO

WHO Regional Office

in the Western Pacific
Food safety activities delivered in the Western Pacific and (20 mins)
10:40-11:20
South-East Asia Regions WHO Regional Office
in South East Asia (20
mins)

11:20-11:40 Food safety activities delivered In Asia-Pacific Region FAO Asia-Pacific

11:40-12:00 Q&A WHO INFOSAN Secretariat

12:00-13:00 LUNCH BREAK

SESSION 3 | Debrief on INFOSAN activities in 2023, and overview of planned activities in 2024

Review of INFOSAN in 2023: progress, achievements, and

13:00-13:30 WHO INFOSAN Secretariat
future activitieS

SESSION 4 | INFOSAN, IHR and Food Safety Emergency Response Plan

13:30-14:15 Panel Discussion: INFOSAN and IHR IHR Team at WHO HQ

FAO/WHO Framework for Food Safety Emergency Response FAO INFOSAN Secretariat
14:15-14:30
(FSER)Plan

14:30-14:45 COFFEE BREAK

SESSION 5 | Simulation exercise to test the Food Safety Emergency Response

Table-top simulation exercise on communication and

14:45-16:45 WHO INFOSAN Secretariat
information sharing during a food safety emergency

16:45-17:00 End of day 1 – wrap up FAO INFOSAN Secretariat

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Agenda
Tentative

DAY 2 | 6 December 2023 – Room M205 (all hours are CET-Geneva time)

9:00-9:10 Recap from Day 1 FAO INFOSAN Secretariat

9:10-9:30 Simulation exercise evaluation WHO INFOSAN Secretariat

SESSION 6 | Regional Initiatives collaborating during food safety emergencies

RASFF Team, European

EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF): Operation,
9:30-10:15 Commission
information collection and management

10:15-10:30 COFFEE BREAK

SESSION 7 | Groupwork Activities

10:30-10:45 Country example on developing and implementing a

Republic of Korea
food safety emergency response plan

Group work discussion on FSER and key actions to be

FAO/WHO INFOSAN
10:45-12:15 implemented in 2024
Secretariat

12:15-13:15
LUNCH BREAK

SESSION 8 | Reporting of Groupwork and Closure

Designated rapporteurs
13:15-14:00 Group reporting and further reflections
& INFOSAN Secretariat

Recommendations
14:00-14:15 INFOSAN Secretariat
and next steps

14:15-14:30 Closing remarks WHO

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Getting around
Geneva

Transportation

Geneva offers a well-connected public transportation system, featuring

trains, buses, and trams. Visitors staying in Geneva hotels may benefit from
the Geneva Transport Card, granting free access to public transportation
during their stay. Please ask at your relevant hotel. Tickets for public
transportation can be purchased at automated machines at bus stops.

Key points

Airport to Geneva Downtown:

From Geneva Airport to downtown, a 7-minute train journey to

Gare Cornavin is the quickest option. Alternatively, buses like
lines 5, 10, and 23 offer routes taking around 20-30 minutes.
Taxis typically take 15-20 minutes, depending on traffic.

Getting to WHO HQ:

To reach the World Health Organization (WHO) Headquarters

from downtown Geneva, use Bus 8, Bus 22, or Bus F, For
updated transportation details, check the latest schedules
and routes on TPG's website: https://www.tpg.ch/
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Recommended
Hotels
Find a map showcasing suggested hotels in Geneva for your
convenience during the Bi-regional Hybrid Meeting on Enhancing
INFOSAN in the Asia-Pacific Region.
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Registration
To ensure a smooth and efficient registration
process, participants are kindly requested to
arrive with sufficient time to register at the
WHO front desk on Day 1. Please have the
following documents ready:

National ID

A national passport or ID is required for

identification purposes during the registration
process.
upon your arrival at

COVID-19

Participants should bring a copy of their

What to expect

COVID-19 vaccine proof to access to

WHO premises. If you are unable to
provide this, kindly inform us at
[email protected].
WHO HQ?
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For all
participants

To ensure a seamless and These technical provisions will

interactive virtual and in-person enhance your ability to actively
experience, participants are kindly engage in discussions and fully
advised to bring their laptops benefit from the informative
equipped. Headphones are also sessions.
recommended, as the meeting will
feature interpretation services to
facilitate effective communication.

Q&A Sessions
Participants

and
Participation
Etiquette
Guidelines

In the spirit of fostering an orderly

and inclusive discussion, we kindly
request participants to raise their
hands when wishing to pose a
question or contribute to the
conversation. Please wait for the
chair to acknowledge your raised
hand before speaking, ensuring a
fair and organized exchange of
ideas. Your cooperation in adhering
to this protocol is greatly
appreciated, as it contributes to the
smooth and effective flow of
discussions during the meeting.
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What to
expect at the meeting?
Day 1

Day 1 will feature engaging sessions and plenary discussions, providing

insights into food safety practices and INFOSAN initiatives. Participants
can also expect an interactive simulation exercise to test
communication skills during a food safety emergency. A delightful
dinner will be provided on the 5th December by the Ministry of Food and
Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea, offering networking opportunities.

Day 2

Day 2 will delve into various topics during sessions, including EU-RASFF
insights and a country example from the Republic of Korea, showcasing
Food Safety Emergency Response (FSER) experiences. These
discussions aim to support the identification of key actions for 2024.
Engage in focused breakout group discussions on FSER development
and 2024 key actions, promoting dynamic collaboration and insights
sharing.
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Other
Information

Meals

For your convenience, breakfast will be provided at WHO HQ during the

meeting. We encourage participants to arrive early to ensure enough
time for breakfast at WHO HQ. Breakfast will be available outside the
meeting room. Lunch will operate through the distribution of vouchers.
These vouchers can be utilized to enjoy a meal at the cafeteria.

Walking Tour

The WHO INFOSAN Secretariat is organizing a 1-hour

and 30-minute walking tour through Geneva as an
optional activity on the late afternoon of December
6th, starting at 17:30. Facilitated by the Secretariat, the
meeting point for this exploration is the iconic floral
clock in Geneva.
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Recommended
Resources
INFOSAN Members’ Guide

Global INFOSAN strategic

plan 2020-2025
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Contact
Details
INFOSAN Secretariat
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +41 79 832 38 35

Acknowledgement

We extend our sincere

appreciation to the Ministry of
Food and Drug Safety of the
Republic of Korea for their
generous support and
contribution to the success of this
event.