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On Wednesday 29 November, the Executive Secretariat of the International Olive Council (IOC) welcomed a delegation from the Government of Pakistan at the intergovernmental organisation’s headquarters in Madrid (Spain), engaging in discussions regarding the olive oil sector and prospects of shared growth and collaboration.
Amongst other issues, the meeting touched on the topics of the increase of global olive oil trade over the last years, the surge in consumption of extra virgin olive oil in countries such as the United States, and the inevitable challenges inflicted by climate change. Pakistani representatives stressed on the growth of this sector in their home country and informed the IOC’s Secretariat of the government’s institutional efforts to consolidate it.
Their delegation was led by Dr Ahmad Affan, Commercial and Investment Counsellor for Pakistan’s Embassy to Spain. From the IOC’s side, the delegation was headed by Jaime Lillo, current Deputy Executive Director for operational affairs and soon-to-be Executive Director as of January 1st, 2024.
The meeting was also an opportunity for the IOC to present to the South Asian country its work and the wide range of activities that it is currently undertaking. Also present at the meeting were Mustafa Sepetçi, Deputy Executive Director for administrative affairs, IT and the Observatory; Javier Larraona, responsible for the Observatory and IT matters; Andoni Olano, Head of External Relations; María Juárez, Head of the Economy and Promotion Unit; Lhassane Sikaoui, Head of the Olive Growing, Olive Oil Technology and Environment Unit; Yousra Antit, Head of the Olive Oil Chemistry Department, in representation of Mercedes Fernández, Head of the Standardisation and Research Unit; as well as other supporting staff.
Further to Dr Ahmad Affan, the delegation from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan included a number of government representatives, namely Ms Ambreen Raza, Mr Muhammad Idrees and Mr Ahmed Ali Sirohey from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other government authorities like Mr Yawar Hussain, Mr Nasim Ahmed Khan, Mr Zulfiqar Ali, Mr Aftab Alam, Mrs Naheed Gul Baloch, and Mr Mehboob Aslam.
The delegation’s visit to the IOC headquarters highlights the strengthening of ties between Pakistan and the IOC.
