Following the request from the 22nd Session of COAG to explore the possibility of establishing a global soil partnership and after six months of preparatory activities, a meeting was convened by FAO at its headquarters in Rome from 7 to 9 September 2011. The meeting was organized in collaboration with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission (EC). Its main purpose was to present to FAO member countries and key stakeholders the proposal of the establishment of the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) and to obtain reactions and recommendations on the way forward.

The meeting fully endorsed the importance and timeliness of the partnership and agreed:

• to establish a Technical Working Group, composed of soil scientists from a large number of national and international institutions, for preparing the Zero draft version of the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Global Soil Partnership; 
• to organize the review of a draft version of the ToR by an Open-Ended Working Group composed of Permanent Representatives to FAO; and
• to submit the proposed ToR of the Global Soil Partnership for consideration of the Programme Committee.

The ToR of the Global Soil Partnership will be reviewed during the 23rd session of COAG.