Achievements of the IPPC Secretariat's Task Force for Resource Mobilization

The first task force established in 2015 for the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat was the Task Force for Resource Mobilization (TFRM). Members of the task for are Leanne Stewart, Céline Germain, Orlando Sosa, Marko Benovic and Craig Fedchock.

As one of the TFRM s first activities, current donors and possible donors were classified with consideration given to their potential, interests and past contributions. From this step, letters were sent out to all current and possible donors for further consideration, and an action plan was established for resource mobilization efforts. As a result of the efforts of the TFRM, a greater understanding of the Secretariat s financial situation was gained by the IPPC community. These efforts also resulted in financial contributions to the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) initiative and ePhyto project. While there is still a serious need to find a mechanism for long-term sustainable funding, a number of contracting parties stepped forward and provided valuable support to ensure the Secretariat remains operational. In addition, a number of resource mobilization visits also took place which will hopefully initiate the possibility of future sustainable donations.

A number of other opportunities were discussed and considered by the TFRM, including planning further cooperation with the European Commission. Some members of the task force, along with Secretary Xia, developed a proposal for consideration under the FAO - China South-South Cooperation programme. Other future tasks for the TFRM include finalizing a work plan for 2016, looking for future opportunities and partnerships beyond the current year, and organizing a meeting of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS countries) on the margins of the upcoming Commission on Phytosanitary Measures meeting (CPM-11).