The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) organized the second consultative meeting on assessing and monitoring the levels of food security in the Arab countries. The meeting was held in Beirut, Lebanon, from the 1st to the 2nd of February 2018. Under the patronage of His Excellency Mr. Ghazi Zaiter, the Lebanese Minister of Agriculture.

Prof. Ibrahim Adam El Dukhiri, the Director General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) participated in the meeting. Also the meeting was attended by the Assistant Director General and the Regional Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Dr. Abdel Salam Ould Ahmed, and the Under Secretary General and Executive Secretary of ESCWA Dr. Mohamed Ali Al Hakim and Dr. Khawla Matar in the presence of a group of experts in the field of food security and sustainable development from Lebanon and the Arab region.

Addressing the opening session, H.E Prof El Dukhiri stressed the importance of cooperation between the concerned organizations and other activists in the issue of food security in our region. He added that this will lead to facilitate and support decision-making in order to control information and data ensuring their flow.

The meeting aimed to discuss the methodology adopted to monitor the food security levels in the region and the proposed indicators. That came as a preparation for circulating them to the Arab countries after being discussed and approved by the League of Arab States. The circulation will be through the AOAD which is the ESCWA's strategic partner.

 A memorandum of understanding was signed between the AOAD and the ESCWA, strengthening their joint cooperation in a number of areas related to the nature of their work. This came in order to provide support to the Arab region in the fields of water and food resources. Moreover dealing with the effects of climate change and food safety practices.

At the end of the meeting, the Joint Report on "Prospects for Enhancing Food Security in the Arab Region 2030" was launched by the ESCWA and the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa.