The Tunisian Minister of Agriculture visits the FAO Regional Office for Africa in Accra
Preparations on track for the 29th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa
17-18 February 2016, Accra - The Tunisian Minister of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources and Fisheries, Mr. Saad Seddik, has embarked on a series of consultations with countries on the continent in his capacity as Chairman of the 28th session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa (ARC).
The 29th Session is due to take place in Abidjan, Côte-d’Ivoire, from 4 to 8 April 2016, where the Chair will be handed over to the host country for the next two years. “We are meeting our counterparts to prepare for a successful Conference and to ensure continuity with agreed actions as a follow-up to the 2014 Tunis recommendations”, explained Minister Seddik.
Mr. Seddik, accompanied by Mr. Hafedh Khlif, Director of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Agriculture in Tunisia, had a working session with FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Mr. Bukar Tijani, joined by his staff and in video-conference by the FAO Offices in Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon as well as the Director of the Office of Support to Decentralized Offices (OSD), Rodrigo de Lapuerta.
“In a fast changing and challenging world, the development of the rural world remains a concern. We recommend regional priorities that focus on the sustainable development of natural resources, climate change risk management, south-south cooperation for regional integration and capacity development”, Mr. Seddik emphasized.
Mr. Bukar Tijani briefed the Tunisian Minister on the state of preparations of the Abidjan Conference. “Major milestones have been achieved in Africa through partnership fostered at the FAO Regional Conferences over the years, in particular Africa-to-Africa major initiative, the Africa Solidarity Trust Fund (ASTF), a manifestation of a new form of South-South and Triangular Cooperation that we intend to reinforce”.
The Chair of the 28th ARC recommended the creation of a Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism to follow up on recommendations of regional conferences and encouraged strengthened inter-country exchanges of expertise and targeted initiatives of development. He further expressed his hope to continue good working relations with the government of Côte-d’Ivoire to ensure a smooth transition and successful conference this year.
The Tunisian minister briefed the FAO team on his fruitful visit to Côte d’Ivoire where he was assured of the support of his Ivorian counterparts towards a successful Conference in Abidjan.
The visit concluded with a joint call on all countries of Africa to actively participate in the next FAO’s Governing Body for Africa. During the visit to Ghana, Minister Seddik paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Honorable Sherry Ayittey, who also represented the Minister of Food and Agriculture who was out of the country, inviting them to attend the Abidjan Conference.
Minister Sherry Ayittey, speaking on behalf of the President of the Republic of Ghana, confirmed her country’s determination to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and finding alternative ways to feed a growing population, in the context of Climate Change related threats on livelihoods and scarce water resources.
Information
The 29th session of the FAO Africa Regional Conference (ARC) will be held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from 4-8 April 2016 under the theme: “Transforming African Agri-food systems for inclusive growth and a shared prosperity”
The Conference is jointly hosted by the Government of Côte d’Ivoire and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and is expected to be attended by ministers and other high level delegates from FAO Member countries, partners, representatives of Civil Society Organizations in Africa and the media.
The Conference will begin with an Experts’ Meeting from 4 to 6 April, which will focus on Regional and Global Policy and Regulatory Issues, in particular Public Private Partnership for Inclusive Growth as well as Trends and issues in food and agriculture for regional and national action in the context of the SDGs. Issues related to the Work Programme, the Budget, the Regional Initiatives, the Decentralization process, the Multi-year Programme of Work of the Regional Conference will also be discussed, among other matters.
The Ministerial Plenary Session will open on 7 April and a Ministerial Roundtable will take place on 8 April to discuss “Strengthening national and regional capacities to effectively implement commitments and increase investments made at national and continental level for the eradication of hunger and the transformation of food systems in Africa for an inclusive growth and shared prosperity” and “Advocacy for the Africa Solidarity Trust Fund (ASTF)”.
Social Media
Twitter hashtag: #ARC29