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Agriculture Quartet summit launches in Beirut

Agriculture Quartet summit in Beirut
Agriculture Quartet summit in Beirut
BEIRUT, July 28 (KUNA) - The Agriculture Quartet Summit launched in Beirut, Thursday, and it will be handling modes of bolstering and developing agricultural trade exchange between the four nations of Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.
The meeting, extending for two days, is attended by Jordanian Minister of Agriculture Khaled Al-Henefat, Iraqi Minister Mohammad Al-Khafaji, Syria's Mohammad Hassan Qatana and Lebanon's Abbas Al-Hajj Hasan.
Speaking to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), on sideline of the ministerial meeting, Lebanese Minister Abbas Al-Hajj Hasan commented that while this summit cannot conclude with a solution to the food security crisis, it can alleviate the crisis by putting in cornerstones for joint Arab work.
He clarified that this could ease impact of crisis and prepare for a new stage in which the participating nations are able to produce own foodstuff especially wheat, covering local consumption, stabilizing food security and contributing to the field.
The food security crisis is an issue affecting the entire world, it is on every government's agenda, thus calling for its discussion by four participating nations, Minister Al-Hajj Hasan explained.
Jordanian Minister of Agriculture Khaled Al-Henefat stated to KUNA that the Arab region's biggest threat is food security, which is caused by multiple aspects such as climate change, pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian situation.
He also affirmed the positive factors the four countries share, hoping to cooperate and include other countries in the food security strategy.
Al-Henefat added that the participants will discuss ways to develop the agricultural trade and veterinary quarantine procedures, transport and transit procedures, and develop a joint four-way cooperation agreement in the agricultural field to enhance commodity exchange between countries on the basis of mutual benefit.
He also added that they will explore ways to develop the joint Arab cooperation in the agricultural sector, food industries and marketing agricultural products by providing the appropriate investment climate. (end) ayb.aai.ahm