FAO Deputy Director General officially opens the CPM-16 three-day annual conference

Rome, 5 April 2022 - The sixteenth Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM-16) kicked off virtually today. Jingyuan Xia, Director of FAO’s Plant Production and Protection Division and former International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretary, welcomed FAO Deputy Director General, Beth Bechdol to give the opening remarks. In her opening remarks, she saluted the United Nation's decision declaring the International Day of Plant Health to be observed on 12 May of each year. She also thanked the United Kindom for hosting the first International Plant Health Conference in September this year. Both events are crucial opportunities ahead of us for raising the profile of plant health issues, Beth Bechdol said.

The FAO Deputy Director General offered a warm welcome to Osama El-Lissy as the new Secretary of the International Plant Protection Convention, who was also introduced by Jingyuan Xia.

With his new appointment, El-Lissy said, "I am thrilled to serve as the Secretary for one of the most premier standard setting organizations in the world. Protecting global plant resources against invasive pests and facilitating safe trade of agriculture products, and ultimately feeding the world, is such a noble mission. and I am simply humbled and honoured to be part of it. I look forward to working very closely with the 184 contracting parties and the Commission to implement the IPPC mission in the most effective manner."

In a series of virtual sessions over three days, CPM-16 will review the state of plant protection around the world, consider action to prevent and control the spread of pests into new areas, consider proposals for adopting international phytosanitary standards and their implementation, and discuss matters of interest covered by the Convention in cooperation with international organizations.

The CPM Chairperson, Lucien Kuamé Konan of Côte d'Ivoire presented the CPM-16 agenda, which was adopted.
The CPM is the IPPC governing body that promotes cooperation among its 184 contracting parties and relevant stakeholders to help implement the IPPC objectives in an annual meeting each year.

Attending the opening session were 332 from 102 IPPC contracting parties and observers from organizations such as ten Regional Plant Protection Organizations, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Standards and Trade Development Facility, the World Customs Organization, and the World Trade Organization, among others.