Egypt named vice-chairperson of Int’l Plant Protection Convention’s governing body

Egypt has been selected for the first time as vice-chairperson of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), the governing body of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), for a two-year term, the Ministry of Agriculture announced on Monday.

Ahmed El-Attar, head of the Central Administration for Plant Quarantine at the Ministry of Agriculture, participates in the 17th session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM-17) in Rome. Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture

The announcement came during the 17th session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM-17), which was held at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy on 27-31 March with the attendance of agricultural quarantine leaders from around the world.

Egypt will be the main candidate for the position of the CPM chairperson after its new term as vice-chairperson of the commission ends, Ahmed El-Attar, head of the Central Administration for Plant Quarantine at the Ministry of Agriculture, said.

Egypt was chosen from among the 184-member states of the IPPC for this important international position, El-Attar said.

He added 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.

The post will also actively contribute to eliminating many barriers facing the agricultural exports.

It will also facilitate sharing of experiences and participating in international decision-making.

Moreover, the post will help provide Egypt with a high degree of credibility in terms of agricultural quarantine at the international level, he added.

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 promote safe trade.

Egypt held 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.