On Wednesday 13 November, the Interministerial Commission CIHEAM Zaragoza-Government of Spain held their annual meeting in Madrid. The director of CIHEAM Zaragoza (Spanish headquarters of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies), Raúl Compés, met with the representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation; Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge; Finance; and Science, Innovation and Universities; to present the activities carried out this year as well as forthcoming plans for CIHEAM Zaragoza. Representatives from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), and the CIHEAM General Secretariat in Paris also took part in the meeting.

The International Commission serves as an annual forum to discuss key topics related to training, research, innovation, technical assistance and political dialogue organised by the Spanish Institute of CIHEAM in alignment with strategic Spanish governmental policies and priorities in areas of shared interest related to agrifood development, fundamentally in the Mediterranean area.

During the meeting, the Government of Spain expressed its support for CIHEAM Zaragoza and highlighted the importance of the Institute’s activities in strengthening Spain’s international cooperation efforts in agriculture and food.