During the 30th FAO Conference for the Near East (NERC) held in Khartoum, Sudan, from 4 to 8 December, 2010, “...the Conference agreed with the importance of re-enforcing the linkage between the CFS and the Near East Region. It urged the CFS Secretariat in close collaboration with the FAO Regional Offices and other relevant UN agencies to organize a workshop on Food Security and Nutrition to be held prior to the 37th Session of the CFS”.

The workshop is expected to contribute to a more effective food security and nutrition governance mechanism through which countries and other participants provide policy inputs to the CFS through a multi-stakeholder consultation process.

Key topics of relevance to the region and to the CFS will be discussed through a consultative process, which will ensure that CFS Plenary sessions and intersessional activities are based on latest developments on the ground. 

Conversely, results of the deliberations of the CFS Plenary are widely disseminated at regional, sub-regional and country as well as global levels.

Expected Outputs
For participating countries:
 

• Participants discuss the implications of the recent events on food security and nutrition in the region and agree on the way forward;
• Mirroring the CFS 37th Plenary session agenda, participants discuss policy options related to three selected topics and share lessons learnt/best practices replicable in other regions;
• Recommended actions agreed at regional and country level towards implementation of improved policies.

For the Near East Region, CFS and development partners:

• RNE multi-stakeholders identify possible linkages with the reformed CFS and agree on the next steps leading to the 31st FAO Regional Conference for the Near East to be held in Baghdad, Iraq from 26 February to 1 March 2012;
• FAO and the CFS Secretariat prepare a workshop report with a list of next steps and recommendations to be forwarded to the 37th CFS plenary session to be held in October.