ECCAS and FAO reaffirm their commitment to strengthening their strategic partnership in Central Africa

Libreville, 25 June 2026 ( Gabonese Republic) -His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Ezekiel Nibigira, Chairman of the ECCAS Commission, met on Thursday 25 June 2026 during a courtesy visit, Mr. Athman MRAVILI, Coordinator of the Subregional Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for Central Africa and FAO Representative in Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe.

This high-level meeting allowed the two personalities to review the state of cooperation between the ECCAS Commission and the FAO Subregional Office, as well as to examine the prospects for its further development in the various areas of common interest.

Both officials welcomed the excellent cooperation between their institutions and the results achieved in the formulation and implementation of several regional initiatives for agricultural development, food and nutrition security, sustainable management of natural resources and resilience of the people of Central Africa.

In particular, they welcomed the progress made in the revision of the ECCAS Common Agricultural Policy and its Regional Plan for Agricultural Investment, the elaboration of the Regional Strategy for Food and Nutritional Security in Central Africa, the Regional Strategy for the Development of Rice farming and the support of Member States in the process of aligning their national agricultural investment policies and plans with the commitments of the Kampala Declaration.

Discussions also focused on the need to strengthen institutional coordination between ECCAS and FAO, to promote more productive, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, and to strengthen joint interventions in the agrosylvopastoral and fisheries sectors, environmental protection, natural resource management, youth entrepreneurship, combating the effects of climate change and enhancing food and nutrition security.

In this regard, the two eminent persons undertook to organize, before the end of 2026, a strategic retreat bringing together experts from the ECCAS Commission and the FAO Subregional Office for Central Africa.

The purpose of the retreat will be to carry out a thorough review of areas of cooperation, to identify regional priorities to guide joint interventions and to develop a roadmap with a realistic and operational action plan, achievable objectives and results, clearly defined responsibilities and deadlines. It will also help to ensure a better articulation between ECCAS's Medium Term 2026-2030 Indicative Strategic Plan and FAO's programme priorities for Central Africa.

The Chairman of the ECCAS Commission and the Coordinator of the FAO Subregional Office also stressed the importance of having a renewed, permanent and structured cooperation framework, allowing for the institutionalization of regular high-level consultations and the implementation of a joint action programme.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further combine their efforts and mobilize their Technical and Financial Partners around the priorities of Central Africa, in order to accelerate the sustainable transformation of agri-food systems, improve the living conditions of rural populations and strengthen the resilience of Member States to food, climate and economic crises.

This meeting marks a new step in consolidating the strategic partnership between ECCAS and FAO for regional integration, food and nutrition security and sustainable development in Central Africa.