The first informal briefing organized virtually to promote implementation of the IPPC work programme during the Covid-19 pandemic

Rome, 18 June 2020. The IPPC Secretariat organized its first informal briefing via ZOOM to IPPC National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) and Regional Plant Protection Organizations (RPPOs) to inform and discuss on how to move forward the IPPC work programme during the COVID-19 pandemic. The briefing was conducted in two sessions: one for APPPC, EPPO and PPPO and their members in English only; and the other one for CAHFSA, CAN, COSAVE, IAPSC, OIRSA, NAPPO, NEPPO and their members in English, French and Spanish. In both sessions, the briefing was introduced by Mr Jingyuan Xia, IPPC Secretary, opened by Ms. Beth Bechdol, FAO Deputy Director General, and chaired by Mr Javier Trujillo, CPM Chair (Second session) and Mr Lucien Konan, CPM Vice-chair (First session). The briefing was attended by over 160 participants from more than 75 NPPOs, 10 RPPOs, and the IPPC Secretariat. In her opeing remarks, DDG Bechdol stated “Since my first day at FAO, I have been very keen on supporting the work of the IPPC, as its normative work is paramount to contributing to achieving the FAO mission of a hunger-free world, and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. With these words Ms Bechdol welcomed the IPPC community and applauded the efforts made so far to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. “I am very grateful to you all, the IPPC contracting parties and regional plant protection organizations, for contributing substantially to the implementation of the IPPC and its International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures in these difficult times”. In addition, she also mentioned the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) and the ePhyto Solution as two IPPC global scale initiatives every contracting party and RPPO should actively implement at the national and regional levels.

During the briefing, updates were provided by CPM Subsidiary Bodies (CPM Bureau, SC and IC), RPPOs (APPPC, CAN, COSAVE, IAPSC, OIRSA, NAPPO and NEPPO), and the IPPC Secretariat. Due to the global crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic, the implementation of the IPPC work plan and activities encountered unprecedent challenges. Yet protecting plant health at the regional and national levels remains of vital importance. To coordinate the IPPC global efforts and protect world’s plant resources from pests and diseases in such difficult times, IPPC Secretariat closely worked with IPPC governing bodies and actively communicated with RPPO and NPPOs to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, while advance the IPPC work programme.

In his conclusive remarks, IPPC Secretary Xia emphasized several major points for each IPPC contracting party and region to be considered in these difficult times to implement the IPPC work plan for 2020. Being aware of the importance of quarantine to protect all IPPC staff’s health at all levels was the first key message Mr Xia addressed to the whole community. He also invited IPPC governing bodies to promptly adapt their work plan to this emergency and act in close cooperation with their members. The RPPOs and NPPOs were all encouraged to make use of the IPPC ePhyto solution, promote the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH), and take part in the FAO Global Action on Fall armyworm control.