Ethiopia has become the newest member of the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI), APA can report on Friday.
CABI is an inter-governmental, non-profit organization whose role is to improves expertise on science with a view to addressing agricultural and environmental challenges.
Welcoming the Horn of Africa nation as its 50th member country, CABI’s CEO Dr Trevor Nicholls said the country is set to be part of the body’s range of activities including input into its global development agenda.
Dr. Nicholls, confirmed the signature of the UN-level Treaty on CABI International by the Ethiopian government, bringing the country into the fold of the body.
Ethiopia’s application for CABI membership was championed by its Ministry of Agriculture, with whom CABI enjoyed a fruitful relationship.
Mr. Sani Redi Ahmed, the Minister of Agriculture said Addis Ababa is committed to maximising its potential to ensure greater food security for its citizens as well as extend its capabilities for export of key cash crops including coffee.
“We look forward to working with CABI further in respect of trade, commodities and value chain development, and market access while looking to build better Sanitary and Phytosanitary Systems (SPS), Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) and other aspects of quarantine for invasive species management” he said.
Other benefits of membership include voting rights at CABI Review Conferences and Executive Council meetings as well as access to CABI’s broad range of products, services, programs, and project deliveries and capacity-building.
WN/as/APA