FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative Abdessalam Ould Ahmed, Maurice Saade, FAO Representative in Lebanon, H.E.Ghazi Zeaiter, Minister for Agriculture of Lebanon, and Wafa'a Dikah, former Lebanese Minister for Agriculture in a meeting

20 November 2017, Lebanon – Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative Abdessalam Ould Ahmed met today with H.E.Ghazi Zeaiter, Minister for Agriculture of Lebanon, at the premises of the ministry.

Both principals held discussions on strengthening the joint work and collaboration with a focus on building resilience for enhanced food security and nutrition in the region and Lebanon. The talks also highlighted the importance of coordination between countries of the region on various issues that includes water scarcity, drought, and food insecurity.

Joining the meeting were Maurice Saade, FAO Representative in Lebanon, and Wafa'a Dikah, former Minister for Agriculture of Lebanon.

“Fruitful discussions like the one we had today are essential to set priority focus areas in countries and the region and also to set actions plans that will be implemented on ground to bring about real sustainable change and development,” said Ould Ahmed.

FAO and Lebanon have a long history of partnership. FAO in Lebanon was established in 1977 and this year it is celebrating its 40^th anniversary in the field. Over the past 40 years, FAO assistance has focused on the promotion of sustainable development of the agriculture sector, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant ministries. More recently, in the context of the crisis in Syria, FAO has been supporting the coordination and planning of humanitarian assistance to Lebanon.