March 28, 2024
The regional Secretary of the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC), for Near East and North Africa Region, has participated in regional consultation sessions between civil society organizations and FAO Partnership Office officials in preparation for the 37th Session of the Near East and North Africa Region Ministerial Conference on the issue of food security, under the theme “Accelerating Transformation of Agrifood Systems in the Near East and North Africa”.
Unlike previous consultations, in considering the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty as a partner in reviewing the documents of the Ministerial Conference and making recommendations on their content, and drafting the statement for civil society organizations at the Ministerial Conference, the FAO Regional Office formed a steering committee comprising representatives of non-independent civil society organizations in the region, to conduct the regional consultation and to manage the main areas of the regional consultation meetings. (Egyptian Food Bank, Maghreb and North Africa Peasants’ Federation, Oman Agricultural Society, Arab Plant Protection Society) without consultation or coordination with civil society organizations that have been partners in organizing the previous consultative meetings, and reviewing the conference official documents, making the recommendations to dutyholders of the governments and private sector at previous sessions.
The consultative meeting with civil society organizations took place in Cairo over two days from 31 January-1 February without review or assessment of the content of the documents to be discussed at the Regional Ministerial Conference at its 37th session by civil society, which participated in the consultative meeting, The two-day consultative meetings focused only on discussing the four regional priorities endorsed by the Regional Conference at its previous 36 session, namely:
- Rural transformation and inclusive value chains, to improve productivity and income with a focus on youth employment and women’s empowerment, to bridge the gap between rural and urban areas;
- Food security and healthy food patterns for all, with a focus on trade, enabling policies, food safety and quality, food loss and waste, and advocacy for nutrition;
- Greening agriculture, addressing water scarcity and climate action;
- Building resilience to multiple shocks, crises and emergencies along the humanitarian, development and peace pillar.