The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa and the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, in collaboration with the Coordination Group (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan), will convene a regional meeting for the establishment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Aquaculture and Fisheries Organizations (RAAFO), which will be held in Cairo, Egypt, from 29 November to 1 December 2016.

Despite the importance that Red Sea and Gulf of Aden fisheries and aquaculture adds to the economies of the coastal countries and the livelihoods of thousands of fishers and aquaculturists, is still one of the few water bodies that does not have a regional body to coordinate fisheries management and research.

In response to a call made at the 28th session of the Committee on Fisheries (March 2009), and subsequently reiterated and endorsed by the 30th FAO Regional Conference for the Near East and North Africa (2010). Following extensive consultation with the concerned countries, the convention agreement and related texts have been drafted, reviewed by the Coordination Group and now submitted to the eight proposed RAAFO countries for agreement.

The meeting has been convened with all the Arab and African coastal countries, the eight proposed members, to agree on the Convention, the funding mechanisms and a timeline for the official signature of plenipotentiaries.