Sharjah24 - WAM: Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation Board of Trustees, has launched the International Network for Sustainable Development of Date Palm (INSDDP) in Near East and North Africa.

The launch came during the Award's Winners Honouring Ceremony, in its 14th session, at Emirates Palace hotel, Abu Dhabi, in the presence of Arab Ministers of Agriculture and directors of regional and international organisations.

The award was held in cooperation with major international organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, the Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Land, the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture, the Arab Organisation for Agricultural Development, and Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East & North Africa.

The Network will promote the date palm cultivation sector in producing countries to enhance food security, economic growth and sustainable development.

Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Award's Secretary-General, pointed out that this Network is the largest international cooperation, aiming to develop the date palm cultivation sector in the world. The Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation General Secretariat will coordinate the network's workflow with the respected members.

The Network's vision and message aim to promote sustainable development of date palm cultivation and related industries in the Near East and North Africa region through collective efforts and partnerships of member organisations with all concerned partners regionally and internationally.

It also aims to join the efforts of member organisations to develop programmes/projects with concerned countries, raise the necessary funds, and provide technical assistance for the implementation of the selected projects.

The Network strives to increase technical cooperation among all date producing countries in the Near East and North African region in aspects related to the development of the date palm cultivation industry. It also aims to mobilise the collective efforts of member organisations towards achieving food self-sufficiency, enhancing the quality of life, maintaining the ecosystem and natural resources, and developing the date palm cultivation industry.