The CIHEAM holds its 158th Governing Board Meeting in Cairo and Strengthens its Strategic Agenda on Water and Food Security
The CIHEAM held its 158th Governing Board meeting on 10 and 11 December 2025 at the headquarters of the Agricultural Research Center (ARC) in Cairo, at the invitation of the Egyptian authorities and of Mr Adel Abdelazim, CIHEAM Delegate for Egypt and President of ARC. The meeting took place in a particularly constructive working atmosphere, marked by the remarkable hospitality of the Egyptian partners and the continued commitment of the ARC teams, which were unanimously commended by the delegations.
The meeting was honoured by the presence of His Excellency Mr Mustafa Al-Sayyad, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Egypt, whose participation testified to the high level of consideration accorded to cooperation between Egypt and the CIHEAM, as well as by diplomatic representatives from France, Italy and Greece. The discussions confirmed that food security, closely linked to sustainable water management and to the development of agricultural research, has become a major national and regional priority, directly connected to the economic and social stability of the Mediterranean.
Water and Cereals: the Urgency of a Shared Mediterranean Resilience
On the day preceding the Governing Board meeting, the second Strategic Meeting of the MED-Amin Network was held on the ARC premises, bringing together political representatives from CIHEAM Member States. MED-Amin aims to curb excessive volatility in food prices by promoting transparency in international markets for basic agricultural commodities and encouraging the coordination of national policies related to cereal markets. Cereals, and wheat in particular, have since Antiquity, constituted strategic products for agricultural development, food security and agri-commercial exchanges in the Mediterranean Basin.
MED-Amin seeks to preserve this dynamic of cooperation and trust around cereal markets, with wheat forming the staple food of Mediterranean diets, access to which at affordable prices remains an essential condition for social and food stability. The next annual meeting of the Network will be held in Thessaloniki (Greece) on 10 and 11 February 2026, and will provide an opportunity to further develop the conclusions of this meeting, particularly with regard to the technical aspects related to quantitative forecasting.
Another highlight, organised on the margins of the Governing Board meeting, was devoted to a high-level debate on water, considered no longer solely as a resource under constraint, but as a strategic asset for the resilience of food systems, rural livelihoods and regional cooperation. The discussions, which brought together experts from the National Water Research Center, the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, the Arab Water Council and the CIHEAM, highlighted the need for strengthened governance frameworks, transparent monitoring tools, and integrated approaches combining technological innovation, territorial management and the involvement of local communities, in particular young people and women. They underscored the importance of shifting from a logic of managing scarcity to one of a building resilience.
These exchanges were formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the CIHEAM and the Arab Water Council, aimed at strengthening cooperation on issues relating to water, land and food security at Mediterranean and Arab levels. This agreement paves the way for joint initiatives, notably in view of the Arab Water Forum in Jeddah (April 2026) and the Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum scheduled to take place in Rome (Autumn 2026).
From left to right: Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Abu-Zeid President of the Arab Water Council (AWC), M. Teodoro Miano Secretary General of the CIHEAM, Mrs Frida Krifca President of the CIHEAM Governing Board
Governance and Perspectives
Beyond technical discussions, the Governing Board reviewed several matters relating to internal governance and strategic orientations, in line with the CIHEAM Strategic Plan 2030, thereby confirming the institutional continuity, the stability of the Organisation and its capacity to adapt to emerging challenges. At the request of the Governing Board, the mandate of the Secretary General, Teodoro Miano, was extended until 2029, in recognition of the work accomplished and in order to ensure the coherent implementation of the strategic orientations adopted.
Lastly, the delegations discussed the forthcoming major milestones, foremost among them the Ministerial Meeting of Agriculture of CIHEAM Member States, scheduled for Autumn 2026 and benefiting from the strong support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. This meeting will constitute a decisive step in strengthening Mediterranean cooperation on food, water and agricultural issues, and towards embedding these priorities durably at the heart of the regional political agenda.
