GENERAL INFORMATION

The Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA) was established in 1985 to strengthen cooperation among national, regional and international research institutions and centres through the dissemination and exchange of information, experiences and research results.

MISSION AND GOALS

The mission of AARINENA is to contribute to the enhancement of agricultural and rural development in the Region through fostering agricultural research and technology development and by strengthening collaboration in this regard within and outside the Region in order to achieve greater degree of self-reliance in food and agriculture, and to improve the nutritional well-being and overall welfare of the people of the Region, while at the same time sustaining and further improving the productive capacity of the natural resources base.

AARINENA's OBJECTIVES

• Foster the development of agricultural research in the Near East and North Africa Region;
• Promote the exchange of agricultural scientific and technical experience and information;
• Strengthen national agricultural research capacities for providing timely and necessary data and information to policy-makers;
• Encourage the establishment of appropriate cooperative research and training programmes in accordance with identified regional, bilateral or national needs and priorities;
• Advise members on issues pertinent to research organization and management;
• Strengthen cross-linkages between national, regional and international research centres and organizations, including universities, through involvement in jointly planned research and training programmes; and
• Assist in the mobilization of financial and other forms of support to all efforts aiming at strengthening agricultural research and technology development in the Region.

ORGANIZATION

AARINENA has an Executive Committee which consists of five members including the President and Vice-President elected at each biennial session of the Conference from amongst representatives of the full members on the basis of their administrative positions as delegated representing the five sub-regions. The Association has its seat at the Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) in Cyprus which currently also provides the Executive Secretary.

As of May 1998, the Executive Committee is composed of:

President:Dr. Mohammad H. Roozitalab, Iran (roozital@asid.moa.or.ir)
Vice-President: Dr. Yousif Al-Shayji, Kuwait (yshayji@kisr.edu.kw)
Members: Dr. Christo Hilan, Lebanon (iralfnr@cnrs.edu.lb)
Dr. Ismail Abdulla Muharram, Yemen (area@y.net.ye)
Dr. Fawzi Abdulbagi Taher, Libya (fax: +218.21.361.4993)
Executive Secretary:Dr. Miltiades Hadjipanayiotou, Cyprus (miltos@arinet.ari.gov.cy)

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

AARINENA's activities are financially supported by annual membership subscriptions from full and associate members as well as by grants and donations from individuals, governments, national, regional or international organizations, development banks and others which may be accepted on behalf of the Association by the Executive Committee.