Islamic Organization for Food Security and Tunisia: new horizons for strategic partnership

 

Tunis, July 27, 2021 - The Director General of the Islamic Food Security Organization (IOFS) Yerlan Baidaulet, who arrived in Tunisia on an official visit, met with the Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Marine Fisheries, Muhammad al-Fadil Karim.

During the meeting, issues of further expanding cooperation between Tunisia and the IOFS were considered. The parties discussed mechanisms for financing projects related to food security and implemented under the auspices of the IOFS in the Islamic OIC member countries. At the same time, Director General Yerlan Baidaulet stressed that the development of the IOFS is more and more optimistic and the recent accession of Tunisia to the Organization is of particular importance in light of the large-scale tasks facing the OIC countries in matters of food security and sustainable agriculture. At the same time, the head of the delegation emphasized that all IOFS programs are flexible and, depending on the wishes and recommendations of the participating countries, can be supplemented with new directions. In this regard, he called on Tunisia to build effective cooperation within the Organization's Mandate and Strategy 2031.

Minister Muhammad al-Fadil Karim stressed that Tunisia attaches great importance to joining the IOFS and advocates the relevance of the introduction of IT technologies and digitalization in agriculture. The topic of the development of the agro-industrial sector was touched upon, which has enormous opportunities for expanding its sales markets by establishing direct relations with potential importers and exporters through the IOFS, first of all, the OIC member countries, as well as the international partners of the IOFS, such as the EAEU member countries. To strengthen further partnership, the Minister invited the Director General to SIAMAP 2021 (International Show of Agriculture, Agricultural Machinery & Fishing), which will be held in October this year in Tunisia. The sides expressed their intention to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation with a specific Action Plan for the near future.

Within the framework of the official visit, the head of the IOFS Yerlan Baidaulet met with the President of the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries (UTAP) Ezzar Abdelmajid. Founded in 1920, UTAP represents the interests of farmers and fishermen, contributes to maintaining sustainable growth rates of this sector in coordination with the Ministries of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, and Trade under the slogan “Agriculture is the solution to strengthen the sovereignty and development of the country's economy ".

During the conversation, the parties noted the prospects for cooperation between the two organizations, which will present a mutually beneficial platform to the private sector, primarily small producers and processors of agricultural products.

After the end of his visit to Tunisia, the head of the IOFS plans to visit Egypt and Jordan.