IPPC ePhyto hub pilot underway

The IPPC ePhyto Steering Group (ESG) met with staff of the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC) at their offices at the U.N. Support Base in Valencia, Spain, from 2 to 6 October 2017. The purpose of the meeting was to kick-off the pilot of the IPPC ePhyto hub which is now underway. Pilot countries were requested to register for participation on the hub on Friday 6th October 2017. Although it may take the pilot countries time to finalize preparations to commence exchanges, some test exchanges between three of the pilot countries had been completed in September 2017. The pilot is expected to continue until late January 2018.

In addition to finalizing details of the hub user interface and connection procedures, the ESG also reviewed and adjusted details of the anticipated costs of the hub operation which is required to develop a business plan for the sustainability of the operation. The ESG also worked with the IPPC Secretariat and FAO Legal Office to address some concerns regarding the conditions of using the hub. The ESG finalized the specifications for the generic ePhyto national system (GeNS), reviewed and adjusted development timelines and began preparations for the 3rd IPPC Global Symposium on ePhyto with the theme ePhyto & Trade Facilitation, which will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 22 to 26 January 2018. Details of the Symposium are posted at: www.ippc.int/en/ephyto/ephyto-symposia/3rd-global-symposium-on-ephyto-kuala-lampur-malaysia-22-26-january-2018.