At the invitation of His Excellency Mr Mohammed SADIKI, Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests of the Kingdom of Morocco, and Mrs Frida KRIFCA, President of the Governing Board of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), Ministers of Agriculture and Delegations from the 13 CIHEAM member countries, as well as representatives from intergovernmental and international organizations, will meet on 25 October 2024 in Rabat for the 12th CIHEAM Ministerial Meeting.
This high-level meeting pursues the political dialogues initiated by the CIHEAM since its establishment, aimed at placing sustainable agriculture and food at the core of Mediterranean cooperation. In a regional context marked by multiple crises, these strategic sectors for food security also serve as key levers for promoting inclusive development and shared prosperity in the region. The central theme of this edition, "A Mediterranean Approach to Food Sovereignty: Concerns and Impacts on Sustainable Agri-Food Systems" will highlight ways to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable and resilient agricultural and food systems, also in the framework of the blue transformation, in response to challenges such as climate change and water stress. Special emphasis will be placed on the inclusion of rural communities, especially young people and women, along the entire agri-food value chains.
Morocco's Ongoing Commitment to the CIHEAM
This is the second time that the Kingdom of Morocco is hosting a CIHEAM Ministerial Meeting. In 2000, Rabat hosted the ministers to discuss the consolidation of a common Euro-Mediterranean approach to agricultural trade and the crucial role of foreign trade in agricultural products for the development of southern Mediterranean countries. Twenty-four years later, Morocco will once again host the CIHEAM Ministerial, as desired by H.E. Mr. Mohammed Sadiki, current Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, who chaired CIHEAM's Governing Board from 2019 to 2023. His continued commitment to CIHEAM, notably as the Kingdom of Morocco's Delegate to the Governing Board since 2009, then as Vice President and President, has helped strengthen ties between Morocco and the CIHEAM. This fruitful cooperation continues today, demonstrating a shared desire to strengthen Mediterranean relations and build a sustainable future for the region.