FAO Representative to Iran accredited to the Economic Cooperation Organization
Mr. Serge Nakouzi, the Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to the Islamic Republic of Iran presented his letter of credentials today, 28 October 2014, to His Excellency, Dr. Shamil Aleskerov, the Secretary-General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) as accredited Representative to ECO.
During the meeting, Mr. Nakouzi discussed a number of issues presently confronting the agricultural and rural sectors of ECO member states, emphasizing that the trans-national nature of the challenges faced would require a concerted regional approach to address them effectively and in a sustainable manner.
Some of the key areas touched upon during the meeting as requiring strengthened cooperation between the two organizations included amongst others, water scarcity, food insecurity, transboundary plant and animal diseases, inadequate agricultural statistics and information systems, as well as enhancement of agricultural productivity and promotion of agro-ecology and climate smart agriculture in the region.
Dr. Shamil Aleskerov also underlined that ECO has highly appreciated the support extended by FAO in its endeavors to ensure food security in the region, particularly the implementation of the Regional Food Security Programme (RPFS) which has been one of its most important initiatives within the agricultural sector.
"ECO plans to organize joint training courses, projects and programmes with focus on preventing trans-boundary animal diseases, seed sector development and management of post-harvest waste. Support of FAO would be crucial for successful implementation of these activities", Secretary-General of ECO said elsewhere in his remarks during the meeting.
"Although FAO provides technical assistance to individual ECO countries in some of these areas, the Organization is of the firm conviction that on some of these issues, the challenges would need to be addressed in a more coordinated manner with all of the ECO countries" Mr. Nakouzi also said in highlighting the importance of FAO collaboration and partnership with ECO.
He underscored that FAO could lend its assistance to ECO member states through the provision of policy and technical expertise with the framework of a strategic approach that embeds a more holistic model addressing the aforementioned challenges.
The newly appointed FAO Representative to ECO, indicated that FAO's technical assistance would ultimately support the Organization's member states not only to mitigate the current concerns which are being confronted in the agriculture sector, but also to strengthen the institutional capacity in these countries so as to pave the path for the sustainable management and growth of the related sectors in the long term, particularly in light of the current environmental considerations.
Mr. Nakouzi concluded by expressing his conviction that joint initiatives between FAO and ECO countries in advocating a more effective management of resources could lead to secure sustainable agricultural production and trade across the ECO region.