United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Conference for the Near East – NERC – 7-11 May, Rome, Italy

Agriculture ministers and senior officials from countries across the region will join civil society organizations, partners and the private sector at the 34th Session of FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (NERC 34) to be held at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, May 7-11, 2018.

Trends in various indicators of food security and nutrition in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) will be analyzed and discussed with a view to draw out lessons learned and best practices that can be used to respond to shared challenges.

Work to address agroecology, agricultural transformation, youth migration, and ways to address Transboundary Plant, Animal and Fish Pests and Diseases will also be reviewed. Participating countries will provide FAO with guidance on how the Organization should prioritize its work in the region over the next two years.

“Regional conferences are essential for ensuring the effectiveness of FAO’s regional work but also in defining its work priorities for the following biennium.” Nabil Gangi, FAO Deputy Regional Representative for the NENA region and NERC 34 Secretary declared.

NERC 34 will bring together some 150 delegates including 15 Government Ministers from countries across the Near East and North Africa region. Gangi added.

NERC 34 will, inter-alia, examine the way forward to achieve a world free from hunger and with nutritious foods available for all, with Ministerial Roundtable to shed the light on the challenges to Zero Hunger in countries with conflicts and crises with a focus on Somalia and Yemen.

Programme May 7-9: The conference will begin with a Senior Officers’ Meeting focusing on regional/global policy and regulatory issues. This includes those related to the contribution of agroecology to support the adaptation to climate change in semiarid areas for a sustainable agricultural development; agricultural transformation in the region to overcome youth employment and migration; and efforts to build resilience aims at addressing transboundary plant, animal and fish Pests and diseases.

May 10 -11: The conference will conclude with a Ministerial Meeting, on regional challenges related to food security and agriculture. That session will begin with a statement by FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE The regional conference, currently chaired by the Government of Lebanon, convenes every two years to ensure the effectiveness of FAO’s work in member states and Regional Economic Communities. It is the highest FAO governing body at the regional level and sets work and budget priorities for the next biennium.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).