Egypt has been selected vice-chairperson of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), the governing body of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), for a two-year term, Agriculture Minister Sayed Al-Qoseir announced. This is the first time for Egypt to be chosen for that post.
The selection came during the 17th session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM-17), which was held at the FAO headquarters in Rome late last March.
According to Ahmed El-Attar, head of the Central Administration for Plant Quarantine at the Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt was unanimously chosen vice-chairperson from among 184 member States of the IPCC. Once it’s term ends, Egypt will be the main candidate for the position of the CPM chairperson, he said.
My Attar said that this accomplishment strengthens Egypt’s international profile in phytosanitary and agricultural quarantine and facilitates entry to many key export markets that are difficult to enter. It also facilitates exchange of experiences and participation in international decision-making. In addition, he said, the posts lends high credibility to Egypt’s agricultural quarantine.
The IPPC is an intergovernmental treaty overseen by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and signed by more than 180 countries. It aims to protect the world’s plant resources from the spread and introduction of pests and to promote safe trade.
Egypt holds several high-level positions in global agricultural organisations, including being the current chair of the Near East Plant Protection Organization (NEPPO) operating under the IPPC.
Watani International
4 April 2023