Forum raises awareness about the IPPC and other priority work of the FAO

Yukio Yokoi speaking to Forum on Impact Focus AreasOn 1 March 2011, an informal meeting was held at FAO Headquarters in Rome to raise awareness of the FAO s Impact Focus Areas (IFAs). FAO members have recognized the IFAs - which include the International Plant Protection Convention - as the FAO s priority areas of work over the next four years. All Members and resource partners that have provided voluntary contributions to the FAO since 2008 were invited to the forum, and more than 60 representatives of countries and international organizations participated in the event.

During the forum, Yukio Yokoi, the IPPC Secretary, highlighted the IPPC s role as the global standard setting organization for plant health and drew attention to the pressing need to strengthen capacity for the development and implementation of standards. He emphasized the importance of the IPPC for plant protection and trade facilitation and identified challenges that the IPPC will be addressing in the near future.

The forum provided a firm foundation for partnership, orienting voluntary contributions to priority programmes such as the IPPC, and promoting better alignment of partner contributions to funding requirements.

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