A new IOC member country

Following the notification of the United Nations of the ratification by the State of Palestine of its accession to the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, 2015, on 9 April 2017, H.E. Musa Amer Odeh, the Ambassador of Palestine in Madrid, was received by the Executive Director of the IOC, Abdellatif Ghedira, the two Deputy Executive Directors, Jaime Lillo and Mustafa Sepetçi, and the main Heads of Unit of the Executive Secretariat, who welcomed this new country on behalf of all the IOC member countries.

Mr Odeh recalled that the olive tree was a universal symbol of peace and he thanked the staff of the Executive Secretariat for their welcome. The diplomats and ambassadors who attended this meeting greeted the international recognition of an important partner in the global olive sector.

The Palestinian flag was raised among the flags of the other member countries of the International Olive Council. From left to right: Mustafa Sepetçi, Deputy Executive Director of the IOC for Administrative and Financial Affairs; Rula Al Azzeh, Third Secretary of the Diplomatic Mission of Palestine to Spain; Al Abbas Ibrahim H. Al Harthi, Counsellor of the Embassy of Oman; Jaime Lillo, Deputy Executive Director of the IOC for Technical, Economic and Promotion Affairs; Mounir Fourati, Minister Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of Tunisia in Madrid; Bachar Yaghi, Ambassador of the League of Arab States in Madrid; Wacef Chiha, Ambassador of Tunisia; Taous Feroukhi, Ambassador of Algeria; Musa Amer Odeh, Ambassador of Palestine; Abdellatif Ghedira, Executive Director of the IOC; Mohammed Jaham Al Kuwari, Ambassador of Qatar; Marwan Burini, Counsellor of the Diplomatic Mission of Palestine to Spain; and Rasheed Talal Rasheed Arekat, Counsellor of the Embassy of Jordan.