FAO Regional Conference for the Near East and North Africa (NERC38)
Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, Senior Officers’ Meeting: 24 – 26 March 2026, Ministerial Meeting: 21 April, Regional Food Forum: 22 April
About The Conference
The FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (NERC), established in 1948 in Cairo, is FAO’s statutory governing body for the region. In accordance with Rule XXXV of the General Rules of the Organization, it provides a forum for consultation on regional priorities within FAO’s mandate, informs programme and budget planning, reviews performance, and reports to the FAO Council and FAO Conference. It meets once every biennium.
The 38th Session (NERC 38) will review 2024–2025 results and set priorities for the next biennium, focusing on resilient and climate-smart agrifood systems, desertification and drought, supply chains, bioeconomy and circular innovations, financing and resilience. It aims to provide clear regional guidance and strengthen partnerships to advance sustainable agrifood systems and food security in line with FAO’s Strategic Framework and the 2030 Agenda.
NERC38 Sessions
Private sector consultation
Civil society Consultation
Agenda highlights
Regional Priorities
News
FAO Near East and North Africa marks International Women’s Day 2026 with regional webinar highlighting women farmers
10/03/2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in the Near East and North Africa commemorated International Women’s Day 2026 with a...
FAO and Ministry of Water Resources Inaugurate Model Projects to Enhance Irrigation Water Use Efficiency
17/02/2026
Amid growing climate challenges and increasing water scarcity in Iraq, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Iraq,...
MoA, FCDO and FAO commit to transforming the agri-food system of Syria
16/02/2026
The National Agriculture Strategy of the Syrian Arab Republic 2026-2030 will capitalize on agriculture as the country’s...
.tmb-th600x400.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=6fc2fac_1 "image (3)")
Technical consultations set the stage for the 38th Session of FAO Near East Regional Conference
10/02/2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) convened a Regional Consultative Technical Meeting (RCTM) this week as part of the...
FAO convenes stakeholders in Cairo to validate prototype regional dashboard on healthy diets and sustainable agrifood systems in NENA
09/02/2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) convened a two-day Stakeholder Validation Exercise in Cairo on 4-5 February 2026 to...
.tmb-th600x400.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=601acea_1 "Image (37)")
FAO Launches Regional Project to Green Agroforestry Economies through Non-Wood Forest Products
03/02/2026
Hammamet, Tunisia 29 January 2026, FAO officially launched the two-year regional project Greening Agroforestry Economies Strengthening Non-Wood Forest...
CRC, CLCPRO and FAO conclude advanced regional drone use training programme in Oman
02/02/2026
The Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region (CRC) and the Commission for Controlling...
Strengthening cooperation and capacity for fisheries management in the Mediterranean
30/01/2026
Fisheries scientists and managers from across the Near East and North Africa will gather in Alexandria, Egypt this month for a regional workshop aimed...
FAO Commissions Launch First Regional Drone Pilot Training Programme for Desert Locust Control Operations in Oman
26/01/2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through the Desert Locust Control Commission in the Central Region (CRC) and the...
Building a Shared Vision for Sustainable Rangelands and Pastoral Communities in the Near East and North Africa
26/01/2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the Directorate General of Forests of the Ministry of Agriculture,...
Gaza Strip: FAO secures new partnerships with Belgium, France to scale up emergency agricultural assistance
20/01/2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has secured two new partnerships with Belgium and France as part of a wider initiative...
.tmb-th600x400.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=9f7bd61b_2 "Image (7)")
Regional Partners Convene in Amman to Accelerate Action on Water Scarcity in the Near East and North Africa
20/01/2026
To address the escalating challenge of water scarcity in the world’s most water-stressed region, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United...
Science-based field verification strengthens land rehabilitation efforts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
20/01/2026
As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia accelerates its efforts to restore degraded land and expand vegetation cover under Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative,...
Food insecurity in Lebanon remains fragile despite signs of easing as the country enters the new year, new analysis shows
19/01/2026
FAO Leads Regional Efforts to Improve Water Allocation for Agriculture in the Near East and North Africa
16/01/2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized a regional workshop in Amman, Jordan, bringing together national experts...
FAO Launches Regional FMD Emergency Project in Iraq with National FMD Laboratory Diagnosis Techniques Training Workshop
11/01/2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture of Iraq (MoA) and the Ministry...
FAO bulletin highlights stabilizing food markets and rising drought risks across Near East and North Africa
05/01/2026
Cairo, December 2025 – Food markets across the Near East and North Africa (NENA) showed signs of relative stability in the final...
Multimedia
Recent reports
Agricultural Inputs and Commodity Price Bulletin in the Syrian Arab Republic November 2025– Issue #47
2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the Syrian Arab Republic monitors agricultural inputs and food commodity markets and releases the "Monthly...
Food policy monitoring in the Near East and North Africa region, 4th Quarter 2025 | Bulletin Building resilience to drought
2025
Global food markets remained broadly stable in late 2025, with the FAO Food Price Index easing slightly in November and staying below last year’s level....
Practical guide for the management of native tree and shrub nurseries in Saudi Arabia
2025
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) of Saudi Arabia have...
Mapping and proposal of action plan to promote investment for the transformation of agrifood systems in the Near East and North Africa region
2025
The transformation of agrifood systems in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region is critical to addressing food security, environmental sustainability,...
Near East and North Africa – Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2025 Statistics and trends
2025
The 2025 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition reveals a stark deterioration in food security across the Arab States in 2024, where hunger...
Regional mapping of anticipatory action capacities in the Near East and North Africa agricultural sector
2025
The Near East and North Africa (NENA) region faces a growing number of complex, overlapping and compounding hazards that are undermining livelihoods,...
Gaza Strip: Time-critical support to farming households to help reactivate local agrifood production and restore conflict-affected livelihoods Project profile, October 2025
2025
With funding from the Occupied Palestinian Territory Humanitarian Fund, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is supporting...
Food policy monitoring in the Near East and North Africa region, 3rd Quarter 2025 | Bulletin Financing the transformation of agrifood systems for food security and nutrition
2025
The Near East and North Africa (NENA) region faces a fragile food security landscape, shaped by inequality, conflict, climate extremes, and price volatility....
Empowering women in Egypt's livestock and dairy subsectors A gender-transformative approach to climate resilience and economic inclusion
2025
This report, titled Empowering women in Egypt's livestock and dairy subsectors – A gender-transformative approach to climate resilience and economic...
Food safety and quality in the Near East and North Africa Mapping drivers, challenges and imperatives
2025
The FAO RNE has developed a comprehensive report that maps the food safety and quality landscape across the NENA region. Utilizing the One Health Approach...
Agricultural value chain assessment in Iraq 2024
2025
The objective of this report is to show the results of the overall programmatic food systems or value chain approach used, complementing the individual...
Reimagining sustainable returns on investment for planet and people A Near East and North Africa regional approach to ecosystem restoration and development solutions - White paper
2025
This white paper presents a strategic response to the environmental, social, and economic "poly-crisis" affecting the Near East and North Africa (NENA)...
Support economic growth through optimized agricultural value chains in the West Bank
2025
From 2016 to 2025, FAO supported 22 000 small-scale farming families in the West Bank—35 percent women—through a USD 19.9 million project aimed at boosting...
Dunum by Dunum With support from Canada, FAO has developed a model for optimizing agricultural value chains and transforming the West Bank agrifood sector
2025
We are summarizing the achievements of the Canada 406 project after nine years of operation. Now that the project has come to an end, we have designed...
FAO's four priorities - Regional office for the Near East and North Africa
2025
The Near East and North Africa (NENA) region is undergoing rapid transformation defined by both pressing challenges and emerging opportunities. From...
Food policy monitoring in the Near East and North Africa region, 2nd Quarter 2025 | Bulletin Digital solutions for small-scale farmers in the NENA region: opportunities and challenges
2025
In the second quarter of 2025, the food security situation in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region remained fragile due to ongoing conflict,...
2024 Highlights Report Regional office for the Near East and North Africa
2025
The Near East and North Africa (NENA) region continues to face complex and interlinked challenges, calling for coordinated efforts and targeted investments....
Financing a resilient agrifood future in Palestine From aid dependence to inclusive investment
2025
Palestine’s agrifood sector is vital for livelihoods and food security, especially after the October 7 crisis, yet it remains underfunded and heavily...
Regional Gender Equality Strategy and Action Plan 2024–2027 for the Near East and North Africa region
2025
The new Regional Gender Equality Strategy and Action Plan 2024–2027 for the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region aims to ensure its applicability...