Recommendations issued by the Agriculture and Land and Water Commission for the Near East (ALAWUC) will be discussed in the 31th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East to be held in Rome from the 14th to the 18th of May
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations organized on May 8 and 9, 2012 the seventh session of the Agriculture and Land and Water Use Commission for the Near East (ALAWUC) with the participation of 13 Member Countries and 5 observers from countries and regional organization in Near East region.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations organized on May 8 and 9, 2012 the seventh session of the Agriculture and Land and Water Use Commission for the Near East (ALAWUC) with the participation of 13 Member Countries and 5 observers from countries and regional organization in Near East region.
ALAWUC assists FAO and other potential donors in identifying problems and future work programmes in the Region to overcome issues related to land and water resources inventories for their sustainable utilization and management, land use planning, maintaining and updating regional databases on natural resources in the region, promotion of programmes for food production, plant protection, animal health and livestock production, and development of agricultural research systems, and identification of efficient agricultural services to farmers.
During the opening, Mr. Mouhajed Achouri, Officer in Charge Assistant Director General of FAO and Regional Representative for the Near East, gave an overview about the Commission and its main objectives. “The Commission was established in 1997 as a merger of two previous Regional Commissions, (the Regional Commission on Agriculture and the Regional Land and Water Use Commission), following the FAO Council Resolution No.13/97,” he said. Mr. Achouri added that ALAWUC aims at providing a forum for Member States and observers to exchange and promote information and experience in the field of agriculture and land and water use. “The Commission discusses issues of priority in the Near East region and which aims at improving the productivity of agriculture and water resources sectors.”
Mr. Achouri stated that ALAWUC this year will review and endorse the proposed draft statutes of this Commission prepared by FAO Legal Department (LEGA). “The draft statutes include as well the financing mechanism and contribution in addition to the election of the Commission Bureau members,” he said.
For his part, Mr. Shoki Al-Dobai, Plant Protection Officer and Secretary of the Commission, said that the endorsement of the draft statutes by ALAWUC’s participating countries will facilitate the Commission’s work and ensure the continuity of its operations. He added that the meeting will also include some suggestions for the activation of the Commission’s role in addition to securing the necessary financial resources for covering the secretarial expenses and implementing programs that are of a great importance to member countries.
Meanwhile, Abbas Al-Shenawi, head of the agricultural services at the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, said that all ALAWUC member countries aim to increase their effective use of water in addition to increasing the agricultural produce that generate benefits for everybody.
On the second day of the meeting, conferees issued some recommendations which include the following:
ALAWUC assists FAO and other potential donors in identifying problems and future work programmes in the Region to overcome issues related to land and water resources inventories for their sustainable utilization and management, land use planning, maintaining and updating regional databases on natural resources in the region, promotion of programmes for food production, plant protection, animal health and livestock production, and development of agricultural research systems, and identification of efficient agricultural services to farmers.
During the opening, Mr. Mouhajed Achouri, Officer in Charge Assistant Director General of FAO and Regional Representative for the Near East, gave an overview about the Commission and its main objectives. “The Commission was established in 1997 as a merger of two previous Regional Commissions, (the Regional Commission on Agriculture and the Regional Land and Water Use Commission), following the FAO Council Resolution No.13/97,” he said. Mr. Achouri added that ALAWUC aims at providing a forum for Member States and observers to exchange and promote information and experience in the field of agriculture and land and water use. “The Commission discusses issues of priority in the Near East region and which aims at improving the productivity of agriculture and water resources sectors.”
Mr. Achouri stated that ALAWUC this year will review and endorse the proposed draft statutes of this Commission prepared by FAO Legal Department (LEGA). “The draft statutes include as well the financing mechanism and contribution in addition to the election of the Commission Bureau members,” he said.
For his part, Mr. Shoki Al-Dobai, Plant Protection Officer and Secretary of the Commission, said that the endorsement of the draft statutes by ALAWUC’s participating countries will facilitate the Commission’s work and ensure the continuity of its operations. He added that the meeting will also include some suggestions for the activation of the Commission’s role in addition to securing the necessary financial resources for covering the secretarial expenses and implementing programs that are of a great importance to member countries.
Meanwhile, Abbas Al-Shenawi, head of the agricultural services at the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, said that all ALAWUC member countries aim to increase their effective use of water in addition to increasing the agricultural produce that generate benefits for everybody.
On the second day of the meeting, conferees issued some recommendations which include the following:
- Call upon Member Countries to assign a senior level National Focal Point who shall coordinate and follow-up with ALAWUC activities;
- The Commission request the Organization to establish a Trust Fund Account for deposition of Member Countries annual conributionin in order to initiate the Commission programme of work;
- The Commission call upon Member Countries to identify their voluntary annual contribution and to express their commitment to the established Trust Fund Account that ensures the Commission sustainablity;
- The Conmission call upon the Regional Conference to forward the “Approved Statutes of ALAWUC with the amendments stated in Annex-1 to the Session Report” to the FAO Council through the Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters, for approval.
- The Commission encouraged the countries of the Region who attended the Session as Observers to be full members to broaden the membership base.
The recommendations listed above will also be discussed during the 31st Regional Conference for the Near East (NERC) from 14-18 May at FAO Headquarters in Rome.
Press Release in PDF Format 
10/05/2012