The Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency recognized as the 10th Regional Plant Protection Organization during CPM-13

The Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) was recognized as a Regional Plant Protection Organization (RPPO) by CPM-13 being held this week at FAO HQs in Rome. The IPPC Community attending the CPM congratulated and wished the newly recognized organization a fruitful work.

Ms Juliet Goldsmith, CAHFSA Plant Health Expert, thanked all individuals who were instrumental in this recognition. She acknowledged the member countries of CAHFSA and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as well as its associate members and territories, the Caribbean Plant Health Directors Forum (CPHD), partner countries of the Caribbean Basin in particular the USA, and organizations such as IICA and OIRSA (the RPPO for Central America) who, together, worked for the best interest of plant health in the region in the absence of a formal RPPO in the Caribbean. She invited Contracting Parties, RPPOs and partner agencies to continue to cooperate and support CAHFSA to help it grow into a mature and functional RPPO.

CAHFSA was an observer to the Technical Consultation of Regional Plant Protection Organizations (TC-RPPO) for the last 2 years. During the 29th TC-RPPO held last November in Paris, CAHFSA asked the IPPC Secretariat to initiate the procedure required for their recognition as a RPPO, under Article IX of the IPPC.

CAHFSA/CARICOM is composed of the following member states: Antigua and Barbuda. Bahamas. Barbados. Belize. Dominica. Grenada. Guyana. Haiti. Jamaica. Montserrat. Saint Lucia. St Vincent and the Grenadines. Suriname. Trinidad and Tobago - and of the following associate member states: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands.