WANA (Dec 04) – Iran’s Minister of Agriculture Jihad,Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, announced the establishment of a joint task force between Iran and Saudi Arabia to foster collaboration in natural resources, environmental issues, and agriculture. He stated that technical committees will soon commence their activities in Tehran and Riyadh.

 

Nouri Ghezeljeh, attending the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP16) in Riyadh, said: “On the sidelines of this event, we negotiated with Saudi officials in the agricultural sector. These talks laid the foundation for expanding bilateral cooperation in natural resources, the environment, and agriculture.”

 

He added that technical joint committees in agriculture, environment, and natural resources will soon be formed. Delegations of experts will hold meetings in Tehran and Riyadh to enhance exchanges and bilateral cooperation.

 

 

The minister emphasized the importance of the conference in Riyadh, noting that it provided an opportunity to present Iran’s achievements and actions in combating desertification. He added that sharing scientific and practical experiences with other member countries and benefiting from their expertise were key aspects of the conference.

 

This year’s COP16 slogan, “Our Land, Our Future, with an Emphasis on People’s Participation,” highlighted public involvement in combating desertification. Nouri Ghezeljeh described the conference as beneficial, adding that the resulting declaration could support global efforts to combat desertification and its threats to humanity and the planet.

 

Regional Meetings with Neighboring Countries

During the conference, Nouri Ghezeljeh held discussions with agricultural and environmental officials from Pakistan, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Syria, and Azerbaijan.

 

 

Iraq: The meetings focused on completing necessary protocols for mutual exchanges, resolving minor issues, and enhancing cooperation.

 

Pakistan: Discussions included expanding trade in food and agricultural products and strengthening bilateral collaborations.

 

Azerbaijan: Azerbaijani officials expressed interest in leveraging Iran’s expertise in agriculture and environmental sectors.

 

Turkey: A committee to address various trade issues, particularly in agriculture, will be established within a month.

 

Uzbekistan: Talks centered on exchanging technical information about natural resources, forestry, and combating desertification. Iran expressed readiness to meet Uzbekistan’s needs.

 

Kazakhstan: Discussions covered exporting Kazakh grains through Iran, and agreements were reached to expedite cooperation.

 

Syria: The discussions emphasized Iran’s support for Syria in light of its recent challenges, including terrorism and war. Cooperation will extend to soil supplies for fertilizer production and product exports.

 

 

Outcomes of COP16

The minister described the international meetings as practical and valuable. He highlighted that the outputs of these sessions would benefit Iran, other participating countries, and relevant international organizations.

 

COP16, under the theme “Our Land – Our Future,” began on December 13 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, focusing on global efforts to combat desertification.