Cairo, 21 January 2020 - The second day of the regional consultative meeting for transforming food systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the Near East and North Africa concluded its discussions today.

Countries and FAO deliberated on setting a pathway for the upcoming Regional Conference, to be held in Oman.

The Meeting was attended by 160 participants of which 83 senior officers from the ministers of agriculture, water, environment and health from 24 member countries1 of the region, Permanent Representatives and FAO Representatives in 14 member countries in the Near East and North Africa region.

In conclusion, the participants thanked FAO for the innovative approach adopted in the Regional Consultative Technical Meeting, which had gathered the key stakeholders from the member countries of the region together with their Permanent Representatives and the FAO Representatives concerned, and fostered substantive and engaged consultative dialogues on the issues tabled to the Meeting.

It is further recommended that such consultative mechanism be instituted to regional governance and oversight and in this respect, be considered an integral of the Regional Conferences in the future.

The regional conference, currently chaired by the Government of Oman, convenes every two years to discuss progress toward food security, improved livelihoods and eradication of hunger in all its forms and agree on the necessary policy actions.

It is the highest FAO governing body at the regional level and sets work priorities for the next biennium.