Khartoum, Republic of Sudan; November 2, 2016- The 3rd Africa-Arab Ministerial Conference on Agricultural Development and Food Security was held under the theme “Promotion of Africa – Arab Trade and Investment for Accelerated Agricultural Development and Enhancing Food Security.”

Presided over by Lieutenant General Bakri Hassan Salih, First Vice President of the Republic of Sudan, the opening of the conference was graced by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Hon. Prof. Ibrahim Adam Eldukheri, the Under Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Sudan, Engineer Ali Gadoom Elghali Osman and the Director-General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, His Excellency Dr. Tariq Bin Musa El-Zadjali.

Speaking during the event, H.E. Mrs. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, representing H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, noted that despite the agricultural success stories and enormous opportunities in the continent, Africa had experienced falling food production per capita over the last four or so decades, exacerbating hunger, malnutrition and poverty thus denying many African citizens a decent and dignified life.

She highlighted some of the factors that have contributed to low agricultural productivity including limited use of improved crop varieties, irrigation, and fertilizers. Consequently, H.E Tumusiime invited investors from both African and Arab countries to invest in African agriculture.

Commissioner Tumusiime called for renewed political will and commitment to the Joint Action Plan for Agricultural Development and Food Security through mobilization and allocation of adequate financial resources from both domestic and external resources to Agriculture.

Commissioner Tumusiime was among five dignitaries that were awarded with Certificates of Recognition for their immense contribution to Africa-Arab Agricultural Development.

The Ministerial Conference was preceded by a two-day senior officials’ meeting whose main outcome was the “Khartoum Declaration on Promoting Africa-Arab investment for accelerated agricultural development and attainment of food security.”

The Conference was attended by ministers and senior officials from Member States of the African Union and the League of Arab States. Also in attendance were representatives of the African Union Commission, the League of Arab States Secretariat, Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, World Food Programme, the African Development Bank and private sector organizations.

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For more information:
Jonathan Nyarko Ocran
Policy Officer - Livestock
Rural Economy and Agriculture
Department African Union Commission
Email: Ocranj@africa-union.org

Abderrahmane Khecha
Senior Policy Officer – Rural Economy and Agriculture
Department African Union Commission
Email: Abderrahmanek@africa-union.org