Eurasian Economic Commission and Islamic Organization for Food and Security Join Efforts to Promote Agricultural Development

NUR-SULTAN – The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) and the Islamic Organization for Food and Security (IOFS) signed a memorandum of understanding promoting agricultural development and improving food security among the state members of the IOFS on July 22 in Moscow, reported the press service of the EEC.

Photo credit: Eec.eaeunion.org.

The event was attended by representatives of the diplomatic missions of the EEC member countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Armenia and Belarus, as well as the IOFS member countries, including Iran, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Qatar and Kuwait.

“This memorandum lays the foundations for fruitful and long-term cooperation. One of the main areas of our joint work will be to promote sustainable agricultural development and balanced development of manufacturing and markets for agricultural products and food. It is very important for us. We also plan to cooperate in the field of so-called sensitive goods of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). I think that this will bring a great positive effect, including the stabilization of prices on food markets,” said Director General of the IOFS Yerlan Baidaulet.

The parties aim to achieve the set goal of the memorandum through coordinated policies, mechanisms for regulating the development of agriculture, increasing the competitiveness of agri-food exports, unifying standards, increasing food safety of products and developing biotechnology.

The partnership of two reputable international organizations will allow for the mobilization and doubling of resources, achieving a high-quality and sustainable rise in the agro-industrial sector, leading to an increase in the welfare and food security of the participating countries.

The EEC Minister for Industry and Agroindustrial Complex Artak Kamalyan stressed that the interaction of the Commission with the IOFS will expand the relevant information exchange and opportunities for trade and economic cooperation between the EAEU countries and the Islamic world. 

The strengthening of cooperation is of particular importance in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. According to Kamalyan, the issues of food security, uninterrupted supplies of agricultural products and foodstuffs need prompt decisions and joint efforts.

“Ensuring food security is one of the key issues in the national programs for the development of the agro-industrial complex of the countries of the EAEU, therefore, special attention is paid to it in the integration agenda. I believe that the memorandum signed today will give impetus to expanding the boundaries of the international platform for discussing agricultural policy issues, sharing experience and advanced practices and technologies,” noted Kamalyan.

Today, the IOFS includes 36 member countries, including countries from the EEC such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and the EEC partners such as Uzbekistan, Iran, Egypt and Bangladesh.

The Eurasian Economic Commission is a permanent governing body of the EAEU.