FAO Regional Office for Near East and North Africa

NEPPO Delegation Visits FAO Morocco Office to Strengthen Regional Cooperation in Plant Protection

©FAO

15/07/2025, Rabat

A high-level delegation from the Near East Plant Protection Organization (NEPPO) has conducted its first official visit to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representation in Morocco, marking a key milestone in advancing regional collaboration on plant health and protection across the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region.

The NEPPO delegation was led by Dr. Mohamed Alkuriji, Chairman of NEPPO’s Executive Council, and Dr. Mohamed El Habib Ben Jamaa, Executive Director of NEPPO. They were accompanied by Dr. Thaer Yaseen, Regional Plant Protection Officer at the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (FAO-RNE), and Dr. Mohamed El Hadi Sidatt, Regional Plant Protection Officer at FAO’s Subregional Office for North Africa (FAO-SNE).

The delegation was warmly received by Mr. Alexandre Huynh, FAO Representative in Morocco, who welcomed the visit as a valuable opportunity to reinforce regional solidarity and technical collaboration in plant protection.

 The visit reflects the joint commitment of FAO and NEPPO to enhance regional coordination, foster technical cooperation, and promote sustainable plant protection strategies to safeguard agricultural productivity and food security across the region.

Discussions during the meeting focused on NEPPO’s mandate, ongoing programmes, and regional initiatives in collaboration with FAO aimed at safeguarding plant health, facilitating safe trade, and addressing emerging threats posed by plant pests and diseases. FAO and NEPPO explored avenues for technical cooperation, capacity building, and joint activities to support sustainable agriculture and food security in Morocco and across the broader region.

The visit underscored the shared vision of FAO and NEPPO in fostering regional cooperation and harmonized efforts in plant protection, contributing significantly to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The visit took place on the sidelines of the regional training workshop on International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures, held in Rabat on 14–15 July 2025. The workshop was part of the cooperation program between NEPPO, the FAO RNE, and the FAO SNE. It brought together experts from across the region to exchange experiences, discuss the implementation of international standards, and strengthen national and regional phytosanitary measures.

It is worth noting that a successful prior collaboration has been established between the FAO Representation in Morocco, FAO-RNE, FAO-SNE, the IPPC, ONSSA, and NEPPO in organizing the IPPC Regional Workshop for the Near East and North Africa region, held in Rabat in August 2024. This workshop provided a valuable platform for capacity building, regional knowledge exchange, and discussions on international standards designed to safeguard plant health and facilitate safe trade.