Contract signed regional agricultural organizations

A signing ceremony was held on Tuesday in Damascus between the Arab Center for the Study of Arid Zones and Dry Areas (ACSAD) and the Regional Center for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (CARDNE) to strengthen relations between the two centers in the service of the region's member states.

The new agreement will help all parties concerned to attain sustainable agricultural development and improve living conditions in rural areas, the countryside and the steppes, SANA reported.

Officials representing the two sides said the new agreement will consolidate cooperation and relations between ACSAD and CARDNE. It provides for enhancing the exchange of agricultural information, data and documentation. Each center has authorized the other to attend its own high-level meeting as an observer.

The two sides also agreed to step up joint staff meetings to evaluate joint agricultural projects and organize all relevant administrative, technical and financial measures.

According to the agreement, the CARDNE center will encourage all Arab member states to join the ACSAD center. ACSAD was established in 1971 within the framework of the Arab League and headquartered in Damascus, Syria. CARDNE was established as an independent, international, governmental organization in 1987. It is hosted by the Jordanian government in Amman. Its membership is not limited only to Arab states, but also includes Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran and Cyprus.