In order for developing countries to receive the benefits of genetically modified crops, assessments of both food safety and environmental risk must be conducted by the appropriate regulatory authorities to assure that the crops being imported or developed by scientists in-country are safe for cultivation and consumption. The status of regulatory capacity and policy in Africa exemplifies the challenges faced by developing countries. The Codex Alimentarius Commission have developed internationally accepted guidelines for the food safety assessment of genetically modified crops. However, constraints ranging from lack of expertise, limited financial and infrastructure capacity, to difficulties in political and organizational structure pose obstacles that require new solutions, including regional approaches to generating food safety data and conducting food safety assessments. These solutions will create a regulatory environment where proper assessments are conducted within the realities faced by developing countries, in order to assure safe access to genetically modified crops