31st Session of AfricaRice Council of Ministers to convene in Dakar, Senegal

The 31st Ordinary Session of the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) Council of Ministers (CoM) will convene, 25-27 September 2018, in Dakar, Senegal, under the auspices of the CoM Chair, His Excellency Dr Papa Abdoulaye Seck, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Infrastructure of Senegal.

The highest governing body of AfricaRice is the Council of Ministers consisting of ministerial level representatives (ministers of agriculture or ministers of scientific research) of all AfricaRice member countries. Statutory meetings of the CoM are held once every two years. The current Chairmanship is held by Senegal.

The full program will include the following events:

High-Level Ministerial (HLM) Conference on Rice: The HLM Conference will be held on 25 September within the context of the Senegal Rice Day. The HLM Conference will consist of ministerial panel discussions on issues related to the improvement of the rice value chain to accelerate rice self-sufficiency in Africa. The HLM Conference is co-organized by the Government of Senegal, African Union Commission (AUC), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Regional Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Senegalese Institute of Agricultural Research (ISRA), and AfricaRice.

The National Experts Committee (NEC) Meeting: The NEC Meeting will be held on 26 September. The NEC, which comprises the Directors General of the national agricultural research institutions of AfricaRice member countries, is the technical advisory body of the Council of Ministers. NEC will review all dossiers to be tabled at the CoM and make recommendations to the CoM for approval by resolution.

31st AfricaRice CoM Session: The NEC Meeting will be followed by the 31st Session of AfricaRice CoM on 27 September, which will examine the technical report from the NEC and pass resolutions based on the NEC recommendations.

Senegal Rice Day: The Senegal Rice Day will include a one-week (24- 28 September) exhibition on the rice value chain in Senegal and a science forum on major themes relating to rice research for development (R4D) addressing the issues of rice self-sufficiency in Africa.

In addition to the 26 member countries of AfricaRice, Mozambique and Kenya, are invited to the 31st AfricaRice CoM Session. Special invitees for the HLM Conference and the CoM inauguration include representatives of AfricaRice donors and partners along the rice value chain as well as the diplomatic corps.

Related links :

Program : High Level African Ministerial Conference on Rice and Senegal Rice Day Exhibition

Concept note : Delivering on Commitments to Transform Africa's Rice Industry

Program : 31st Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), 26-27 September 2018, Dakar, Senegal