International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) 2019 Regional Workshops is in Beirut
2 September 2019, Beirut - National contact points of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and agricultural experts from Near East and North Africa Region countries are meeting in Beirut for a regional workshop in Beirut from 2 to 6 September 2019. Participants will prepare regional positions on international phytosanitary standards, develop phytosanitary capacity for preventing the entry and establishment of invasive plant pests and share plant health best practices.
Under the auspices of H.E the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Hassan Lakiss, the workshop is organized by the IPPC Secretariat, in cooperation with the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization of and the Near East Plant Protection Organization (NEPPO). The meeting in Lebanon is one of seven IPPC annual regional workshops hosted around the world in 2019 under the theme “Plant Health and Capacity Development”.
During the opening session held today, Mr. Maurice Saade, FAO Representative in Lebanon mentioned that the annual regional workshop represents an important technical forum that gathers all regional plan protection organizations. “It enables the discussion and exchange of information and knowledge about different issues and pests of interest for the region”, he said.
Mrs. Sylvana Gerges representing the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture said that the ministry is keen on abiding by the International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) and cooperating with Arab and NENA countries for safe trade facilitation. “The Ministry also works through this cooperation on promoting phytosanitary capacity building in order to counter the spread of transboundary pests and face its emerging challenges”, she added. “This event aims to raise awareness of the importance of developing the capacity of staff, institutions and systems at the national level to improve plant health,” said Mr. Jingyuan Xia, IPPC Secretary. He emphasized that phytosanitary capacity evaluations (PCEs) play an important role in supporting national phytosanitary capacity and encouraged participants to discuss this issue.
“IPPC annual meeting strengthens the technical networking among plant protection experts, IPPC contact points, NEPPO and FAO officers for addressing emerging plant pests concern in the region” said Mr. Thaer Yaseen, Regional Plant Protection officer for Near East and North Africa Region and North Africa (FAO-RNE). He added, this event is improving of the information sharing and regional collaboration in prevention and control of plant pests. Mr. Mekki Chouibani, Executive Director of the Near East Plant Organization (NEPPO) explained that at the regional level, the NEPPO constitutes a special regional forum for the support an promotion of coordination and consultation as well as ongoing cooperation amongst member states in the phytosanitary field in view of strengthening necessary measures, especially the preventing ones to avoid the spread of dangerous agricultural pest from one country to the other.
The workshop will also highlight preparations for the International Year of Plant Health 2020 and encourage participants to discuss how to promote it in their countries. In the words of Francisco Javier Trujillo Arriaga, CPM Chairperson: “The phytosanitary community is facing increasing challenges from ever-expanding trade to climate change. The IYPH is expected to put plant health and protection high on the policy agenda and increase the public’s awareness of its importance in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
The International Plant Protection Convention is an international treaty established in 1952 whose Secretariat is hosted by FAO. Its mission is to protect the world’s plant resources by preventing the introduction and spread of harmful pests.