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ICARDA News International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012 Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG Website: www.icarda.org
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Media
contact: Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG) | |||
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Strengthening
Cooperation with UAE
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Dr Mahmoud
Solh, Director General, visited the United Arab Emirates from 8 to
10 January 2006. He met with H.E. Dr Mohamed Said Al Kindi, Minister
of Environment and Water (MEW), UAE; and Dr Mohammed Al-Attar, Director
General of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA).
Dr Solh also held a separate meeting with senior researchers from
MEW. He was accompanied by Dr Ahmed Moustafa, Coordinator of ICARDA's
Arabian Peninsula Regional Program (APRP) and Dr Ahmed Osman, Range
and Forage Specialist.
H.E. Dr Al Kindi received Dr Solh on 9 January at his office. Mr Abdulla Ahmed Bin Abdel Aziz, Acting Under Secretary, and Mr Mohamed Sager Al-Asam, Assistant Under Secretary for Water Resources, were present. They discussed the possibilities for strengthening ICARDA's collaborative activities in UAE, especially in the areas of date palm, rangeland management, and natural resources management. Dr Solh also briefed the Minister about the new APRP project proposal and the interest it has generated among donors, particularly IFAD and AFESD. Dr Al Kindi expressed his willingness to further support ICARDA-UAE collaboration. Dr Solh's discussions with MEW scientists focused on the technical constraints facing the APRP and the Date Palm Project. The MEW team was headed by Dr Abdullah H. Aboudi, Director of Research and Agricultural Production, and included Eng. Mansour Ibrahim Al-Mansouri, Head of Date Palm Development Section; Prof. Hameed J. Al Juburi, Date Palm Expert; Eng. Saeed Hassan Al-Bagham Al-Nuaimi, Head of Research Section & Director of Agricultural Research Station, Northern Agricultural Region; and Eng. Ali Hassan Al Hamoudi, Acting Assistant Director of Research.
Dr Solh later visited ICBA, where he met with Dr Mohammed Al-Attar, Director General, to discuss plans for research collaboration between the two institutions. Dr Solh attended a presentation on ICBA's achievements and future plans, given by Prof. Dr Faisal Taha, Director of Technical Programs; and was taken on a field tour of ICBA's experimental station. |
About
ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.org)
serves the entire developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil, and
faba bean; and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management of water,
improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants (sheep and goats),
and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In the Central and West Asia
and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible for the improvement of
durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage legumes and farming systems;
and for the protection and enhancement of the natural resource base of water,
land, and biodiversity.
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural
Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of countries, international
and regional organizations, and private foundations supporting15 international
research centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable development
by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition and health, and protecting
the environment.