The recommendations made by the Twenty-seventh FAO Regional Conference for the Near East were as follows:
1. General Debate
1.1 For the attention of Governments
The Conference called upon Governments to:
1.2 For the attention of FAO
The Conference requested FAO to:
2. Report of the Senior Officers Meeting
The Conference adopted the report of the Senior Officers Meeting with the following recommendations:
2.1 Follow-up to the World Food Summit and World Food Summit: 5 Years Later- Regional Dimensions
2.1.1 For the attention of Governments
The Meeting called upon Governments to:
2.1.2 For the attention of FAO
The Meeting requested FAO to:
2.2 International Alliance Against Hunger
The Meeting agreed that National Alliances could be important catalysts in mobilizing political will and resources at national and international levels, and could play a key role in reducing hunger. It was also agreed that a twin-track approach would address food security in all its dimensions mainly availability, accessibility/utilization and stability of food supplies.
2.3 Towards Improved Water Demand Management in the Near East
2.3.1. For the Attention of Governments
The Meeting called upon Governments to:
2.3.2. For the Attention of FAO
The Meeting requested FAO to:
2.4 Food Safety and International Trade in the Near East Region
2.4.1 For the attention of Governments
The Meeting called upon Governments to:
2.4.2 For the attention of FAO
The Meeting requested FAO to:
2.5 Establishment of the Animal Health Commission for the Near East and North Africa (AHCNENA)
2.6 Other Matters
2.6.1 Side Events
A. Roundtable on Financing Agricultural Development in the Near East
The Meeting welcomed FAO’s initiative for holding, in cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank, the Roundtable Meeting on Financing Agricultural Development in the Near East as a side-event to the Regional Conference. The Roundtable aimed at spearheading the discussion on the need and importance of increasing financial flows towards agricultural development. The Meeting requested FAO to consider holding follow-up events to further discuss ways and means to promote investment in agriculture, in collaboration with other partners-in-development and with countries of the Region. (Annex F includes the Summary Report of the Roundtable).
B. Sub-regional Strategy for Food Security for North Africa
The Meeting took note of the Side-event held on Sub-regional Strategy for Food Security for North Africa. The Side-event was attended by Representatives of all member countries of the Sub-region. The side-event stressed the need and importance of continuing the technical collaboration between FAO and the Secretariat of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) in formulating a Sub-regional Strategy and Programme for Food Security. It was agreed to continue the dialogue in that respect and FAO expressed its readiness to consider providing possible technical support for such process, as needed and requested. (Annex G includes more information on this side-event).
2.6.2 Desert Locust Control Efforts
The Conference noted with appreciation, FAO efforts in combating desert locust, through its EMPRES programme. It urged donor countries to provide urgent support for control of desert locust and bird swarms in the Western Region.
2.6.3 Rural Digital Divide
The Conference appreciated FAO’s new programme for bridging the rural digital divide, and invited support for development of global partnerships to harness information and knowledge for enhancement of food security and poverty reduction, as well as human and institutional capacity building in this regard.
3. NGO’s / CSO’s Consultation for the Near East
In light of the WFS Plan of Action, the convening of NGO’s/CSO’s Consultations coinciding with FAO Regional Conferences has become a tradition since the 23rd FAO Regional Conference for the Near East. The present NGO’s/CSO’s Consultation convened from 11 – 13 March 2004 in Doha, Qatar, in parallel to the Regional Conference, involving a number of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) and Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s). A short statement on this Consultation was presented to the Conference. The Conference took note of the NGO Consultation which underlined the importance of strengthened partnership with these active players to benefit from their experiences in working with local communities and grassroots organizations.
4. Proposed List of Topics to be Considered for the 28th Regional Conference for the Near East
The Conference formed a committee, consisting of representatives of three Governments (Iran, Morocco and Sudan) plus the Rapporteur and a member of FAO Secretariat, to assist in collecting proposed topics by member countries and to prepare a list of topics for consideration by the Conference. The Conference reviewed the various topics compiled by the committee and requested the Conference Secretariat to submit the approved condensed list of topics (shown below) to FAO/HQ for consideration and possible inclusion in the Conference Agenda for the 28th Regional Conference for the Near East:
5. Date and Place of the Twenty-eighth FAO Regional Conference for the Near East
The Conference welcomed the offer, extended by the Government of Yemen to host the 28th FAO Regional Conference for the Near East and requested the Director-General of FAO to take this kind offer into consideration when deciding on the date and place of the coming Conference, in consultation with member governments of the Region.
1. The Twenty-seventh FAO Regional Conference for the Near East was held in Doha, State of Qatar, from 13 to 17 March 2004 at the kind invitation of the Government of Qatar. The Conference was attended by 92 delegates from 22 countries, and 38 observers. The list of participants is attached as Appendix B to this Report.
2. The inaugural ceremony was attended by Ministers, representatives of member countries, observers, high-rank state officials, representatives of UN and Regional Organizations, NGOs, heads and representatives of diplomatic missions in the State of Qatar, as well as representatives from the news media.
3. His Highness Sheikh Abdallah Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Prime Minister, inaugurated the Conference. In his opening address, the Prime Minister welcomed all participants on behalf of his Government and conveyed the regards of His Highness the Prince of Qatar, and His Highness the Crown Prince of Qatar to the Conference. He expressed high appreciation to FAO and its Regional Office for the Near East for holding the 27th Regional Conference for the first time in Qatar.
4. His Highness stressed the importance of regional and international cooperation in the fight against hunger. In this regard, he reconfirmed his country’s support to FAO’s efforts for promoting agricultural development and food security, and to the FAO Director-General, in his continuous efforts towards achievement of these noble goals.
5. Dr. Jacques Diouf, the FAO Director-General, expressed his profound gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and to the Government and People of Qatar for their warm welcome and hospitality. He thanked His Highness Sheikh Abdalla Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Prime Minister of Qatar, for inaugurating the Conference and for the good arrangements made and excellent facilities provided for the Conference.
6. His Excellency Sheikh Ali Bin Saad Al-Kawari, Minister for Municipal Affairs and Agriculture, addressed the Conference and reiterated his country’s appreciation to the continuous efforts exerted by FAO, in partnership with other international bodies concerned with agricultural development, to meet the commitment made by countries of the world in the World Food Summit in 1996.
7. The Minister concluded by stating that the best way to address economic and technical problems faced by countries of the Near East was through concerted efforts and enhanced collaboration among countries of the Region. He emphasized the importance of regional and sub-regional projects that deals with common problems and shared utilization of agricultural resources, including fisheries and livestock.
8 His Excellency Mr. Ali Bin Saad Al-Kawari, Minister for Municipal Affairs and Agriculture in Qatar, was unanimously elected Chairperson of the Conference.
9. The Conference resolved that all other Heads of Delegations would be Vice-Chairpersons.
10. Dr. Mohamed Said Harbi, Chairperson of the Near East Group of Permanent Representatives to FAO, was appointed as the Conference Rapporteur.
11. The Conference adopted the Provisional Agenda NERC/04/1 (Appendix A) with one amendment to include discussion on the Establishment of the Animal Health Commission for the Near East and North Africa (AHCNENA), and introduced some changes to the Timetable NERC/04INF/2.
12. Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director-General of FAO, presented his statement (Appendix D) in which he reviewed the state of food and agriculture in the world underlining issues of substantial interest to the Near East Region. The Director-General referred to the meeting of WTO General Council in December 2003, emphasizing that fair trading policy was essential for rural development and food security. He noted that commitment to achieving the Doha Development Agenda for the agricultural sector was reconfirmed at the Roundtable on this subject held during the 32nd session of FAO Conference. In this context, he stated that the role of FAO’s Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP) was more important than ever. With this in mind, Dr. Diouf informed the Conference that FAO was planning to invite representatives from the ministries of trade to the next session of this Committee in February 2005.
13. The Director General briefed the Conference that during the World Food Summit: five years later held in June 2002, the Heads of States and Government resolved to hasten implementation of the Summit’s Plan of Action and called for an International Alliance Against Hunger. He highlighted that national alliances were now being formed in member countries to mobilize governments, parliaments, NGOs, civil society, the private sector and agricultural organizations.
14. The Director-General noted that in spite of the diversity of climatic conditions, varying resources and different levels of economic development among countries of the Near East, they shared a number of similar challenges, which warranted a search for common solution which could be adapted to specific country situations. He pointed out that agriculture accounted for 13% of gross domestic product and employed 36% of the population in the Region as a whole. Yet, it only accounted for 3% of national budgets which should reach at least 5% in the next five years.
15. The Director-General pointed out that scarcity of water constituted the most formidable challenge for agriculture in the Region. He noted that the 2002/2003 season was satisfactory because of favourable climatic conditions. Agriculture output grew 2.5% as compared to the negative annual growth of the preceding three years which was due to the severe drought that affected much of the Region. However, he noted with concern that six countries in the Region faced major food crises in 2003 as a result of natural disasters or conflict situations. Some countries also had to deal with an invasion of desert locust, despite control operations.
16. The Director-General highlighted salient points on the agenda starting with the regional dimensions in follow-up to the World Food Summit; the persistent situation of water scarcity; food safety and international trade; and establishment of the Animal Health Commission for the Near East, The Director-General also emphasized the importance of the Roundtable Meeting on Financing Agricultural Development, held as a side-event to the Regional Conference.
17. The Director-General drew attention to a number of challenges confronting agriculture in the Region, including the need for more effective water use; drought mitigation and monitoring climate change as additional measures to combat desertification. He highlighted the need for reform in banking systems to provide small farmers with adequate and timely access to credit, while safeguarding the viability of financing institutions. He further noted the need for upgrading food marketing systems to reduce post-harvest losses.
18. The Director-General concluded by reconfirming FAO’s commitment to continue support to governments and regional partners in the implementation of coherent and effective programmes and in the mobilization of domestic and external sources of funding. He pointed out that FAO attached a great deal of importance to the collaboration with concerned regional organizations including the Arab League and regional economic organizations for the preparation and implementation of Regional Programmes for Food Security.
19. Mr. Mohamad Albraithen, Assistant Director-General/Regional Representative for the Near East, briefed the Conference on FAO activities in the Region during the 2002-2003 biennium. He reviewed actions taken in response to the recommendations of the 26th FAO Regional Conference. for the Near East. Mr. Albraithen also described the main thrusts of the ongoing programme of work and advised on the future orientation of the programmes and activities of the Regional Office, in response to priority issues in the Region.
20. The Conference commended the wide and extensive range of FAO activities in the Region during the 2002-2003 biennium. The Conference endorsed the future orientation of the Regional Programme and expressed its satisfaction that this Programme would assist member governments in addressing issues of priority for food and agriculture in the Region.
21. Following thorough examination, the Conference unanimously adopted the Report of the Senior Officers Meeting NERC/04/SOM/REP (Appendix E) with minor amendments.
22. The Conference discussed the “Agreement for Establishment of the Regional Animal Health Commission for the Near East and North Africa” referred to it by the Senior Officers Meeting. Following a thorough examination, the Conference agreed that member countries would review the document “Agreement for the Establishment of the Regional Animal Health Commission for the Near East and North Africa” and forward their consent or views to the FAO Regional Representative for the Near East.
23. The Conference further requested the Regional Office to act as focal point for follow-up with member countries on the establishment of the Commission, and to act according to their responses and FAO rules and regulations.
24. The Conference discussed specific points related to the FAO Regional Office activities and programmes, and to the Report of the Senior Officers' Meeting. In addition, country delegates highlighted a range of issues of interest to the Region, reconfirming key recommendations of the Senior Officers Meeting which have been adopted by the Conference.
25. The Conference commended FAO and its Regional Office for the Near East for its continued support to countries of the Region, including support to national efforts for development of agriculture at small-scale farmer level, and enhancement of food security. The Conference requested FAO to continue providing support to member countries, especially those facing major food crises as a result of natural disasters or conflict situations.
26. In support of the WFS Plan of Action, the convening of NGO’s/CSO’s Consultations coinciding with FAO Regional Conferences has become a tradition since the 23rd FAO Regional Conference held in Rabat, Morocco. The present Regional NGO’s/CSO’s Consultation convened from 11 – 13 March 2004 in Doha, Qatar, in parallel to the Regional Conference, involving a number of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) and Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s). A short statement on this Consultation was presented to the Conference. The Conference took note of the NGO Consultation which underlined the importance of strengthened partnership with these active players to benefit from their experiences in working with local communities and grassroots organizations.
27. The Conference formed a committee, consisting of representatives of three Governments (Iran, Morocco and Sudan) plus the Rapporteur and a member of FAO Secretariat, to assist in collecting proposed topics by member countries and to prepare a list of topics for consideration by the Conference. The Conference reviewed the various topics compiled by the committee and requested the Conference Secretariat to submit the approved condensed list of topics (shown below) to FAO/HQ for consideration and possible inclusion in the Conference Agenda for the 28th Regional Conference for the Near East:
28. The Conference welcomed the offer extended by the Government of Yemen to host the 28th FAO Regional Conference for the Near East and requested the Director-General of FAO to take this kind offer into consideration when deciding on the date and place of the coming Conference, in consultation with member Governments of the Region.
29. The Conference adopted the Report with minor amendments.
30. On behalf of FAO, Mr. Mohamad Albraithen, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East, expressed his deep appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani and to the Government and people of the State of Qatar for hosting the Conference and for the excellent facilities and arrangements which contributed to the success of the Conference. Mr. Albraithen thanked H. E. Mr. Ali Bin Saad Al-Kawari, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture, and the Organizing Committee for all their efforts and contributions in preparation for and organization of the Conference.
31. His Excellency Mr. Salim Bin Hilal Al-Khalili, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Sultanate of Oman, spoke on behalf of the delegates expressing thanks and appreciation to the Government and People of Qatar for their warm welcome and hospitality. Mr. Al-Khalili commended FAO for its valuable efforts and services in promoting food security in the world, under the leadership of Dr. Diouf. He proposed sending a cable of thanks to His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, for the generous hospitality and kind welcome provided to all participants of the Conference.
32. The Conference Rapporteur, Dr. Mohamed Harbi, Chairperson of the Near East Group of Permanent Representatives to FAO, reiterated deep thanks and appreciation to His Highness the Prince of Qatar, and to the Government and People of Qatar for hosting the Conference. He extended his thanks to Dr. Jacques Diouf for his continuous support to the fight against poverty and hunger, particularly in this Region. Dr. Harbi also commended staff of the FAO Regional Office for the Near East, headed by Mr. Mohamed Albraithen, for their action in implementing recommendations of the 26th Regional Conference and their relentless efforts in support of food security in the Region.
33. In his closing statement, His Excellency Mr. Ali Bin Saad Al-Kawari, Minister of Agriculture and Municipal Affairs and Chairperson of the Conference, expressed his deep appreciation to FAO under the leadership of Dr. Jacques Diouf, and to distinguished participants from Member countries for their attendance and active participation.
34. The Chairperson declared the Conference closed at 10:00 hrs, on Wednesday, 17 March 2004.