The International Date Council (IDC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) sign a Memorandum of Understanding

The International Date Council (IDC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding during the visit of Dr Qu Dongyu, FAO Director-General to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 9-11 November. 

The MOU was signed by Dr Abdulhakim Elwaer, Assistant Director General, FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa and Dr Abdulrahman Al-Habib, executive director of the IDC on 10th November 2022, in the presence of His Excellency Dr QU Dongyu, FAO DG, His Excellency the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhley, Eng. Ahmed Saleh Aiadah AlKhamshi, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, KSA, Dr Ayman Omer, FAO Saudi Arabia's Programme Director and a high level delegation from FAO. 

The MOU provides a framework for collaboration between the IDC and FAO to further their shared goals and objectives with regard to the development of an integrated sustainable and competitive date palm sector through promotion of quality dates production, improving dates processing, marketing and trade, as well as optimizing the use of natural resources. The IDC and FAO developed a work plan outlining specific activity of collaboration. 

The IDC established in Feb. 2022 to foster international cooperation between member countries in areas necessary for the development of the dates sector. The Council enjoys an independent international legal identity in accordance with the objectives and duties stated in its Charter. The current headquarter of the Council is in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and many countries have already joined as full or associate members.