Riyadh to host regional and international plant health meetings in October 2026

Riyadh will host two specialized meetings on plant health and protection from October 3 to 8, 2026. The events are organized by the National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases (Weqaa), in cooperation with the Near East Plant Protection Organization (NEPPO), and will include participation from regional and international organizations and experts, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The program will begin with a meeting of NEPPO's executive committee on October 3 and 4, where the committee will review the organization's activities and future directions. The executive committee for 2025–2026 is chaired by Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Khraiji, Chairman of NEPPO's Board and Head of Plant Health at Weqaa, with representatives from Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iraq, Syria, Morocco, Oman, and the NEPPO Secretariat in attendance.

The executive committee meeting will review NEPPO's activities for 2026, examine the legislative framework and organizational structure for 2027–2028, and discuss the implementation of the 2025–2035 strategic plan, as well as recent developments and topics related to plant protection.

International technical consultations meeting

This will be followed by the 38th technical consultation meeting among regional plant protection organizations, held in Riyadh from October 5 to 8. The event will bring together representatives from regional organizations worldwide, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), FAO, and a number of experts, with the participation of Weqaa CEO Eng. Ayman bin Saad Al-Ghamdi.

This session will include organizations such as APPPC, CAN, COSAVE, EPPO, IAPSC, NAPPO, OIRSA, PPPO, CAHFSA, and NEPPO, providing a platform to exchange expertise and discuss shared priorities in plant health.

The meeting will focus on following up on previous consultations, reviewing updates from regional organizations, discussing technical and strategic topics, developing future work plans, and strengthening international cooperation in plant protection.

The organization of these meetings aims to support joint efforts, facilitate knowledge exchange, and enhance coordination among plant health stakeholders at both regional and international levels.