The draft Strategy was presented to the 12th General Conference of the Association of Agricultural Research Institutes in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA) held in Kuwait City, Kuwait, from 16 to 17 November 2011.

• The General Assembly agreed on the following statement:

“AARINENA commends the Coordinating Board (CB) of NENA-PGRN for taking the initiative of developing a strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable use of Plant Genetic Resources in the Near East and North Africa Region,

While endorsing the Strategy’s main goal and overall intent, ARRINENA is of the view that NENA-PGRN Secretariat should seek, by all available means, the views of the competent national PGR authorities and other interested parties,

AARINENA decides to entrust the NENA PGRN with the custody of the Strategy and the responsibility of the follow up of its implementation and regular updating,

The NENA-PGRN Secretariat is requested to submit six-monthly progress report to AARINENA Executive Committee on future developments regarding the Strategy,

AARINENA expresses its appreciation to the Team that has worked diligently and voluntarily to develop the draft Strategy.”

• Statement-Chair of the Coordinating Board of the NENA PGR Network (Dr. Ali Al Lawati, Oman, Chair, Coordinating Board, PGRN-NENA):

“This is a very valuable work, which is putting solid basis for the future work of he network for years to come. The strategy is definitely going to be our reference on which the NENA-PGRN will base all of its activities at least for some coming years. This will consequently apply to different proposals that NENA-PGRN can develop and submit to potential donors” 

• Statement-Coordinator of the NENA- PGR Network (Dr. El Tahir Ibrahim Mohamed, Sudan):

“I see the possibility of using the strategy as one of the main reference in project development to be submitted to donors and an assurance for them that a reasonable roadmap for implementing these proposals is already in place”