Beirut, Lebanon - His Excellency Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director General of the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS), concluded an official visit to Lebanon on January 22-23, 2026, marking a significant milestone in bilateral cooperation on food security and agricultural development.
During the two-day visit in Beirut, His Excellency the Director General of IOFS held productive meetings with Lebanese government officials, including H.E. Dr. Nizar Hani, Minister of Agriculture, Engineer Louis Lahoud, Director General of Agriculture, and H.E. Mr. Salim Baddoura, Director General for International Organisation Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants.
The bilateral meetings centered on developing the strategic partnership between IOFS and Lebanon in food security and agricultural development. Discussions addressed how IOFS can effectively support and complement ongoing Lebanese efforts through enhancing agricultural productivity, facilitating technology transfer and capacity building, and providing technical expertise and resources.
The discussions also addressed Lebanon's potential membership in IOFS, which would strengthen cooperation and enable Lebanon to benefit from IOFS's expertise in food security programming and its partnerships with international organizations.
The visit was conducted with the active participation of H.E. Rasul Zhumaly, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Lebanon, who facilitated the meetings, underscoring Kazakhstan's strong commitment and continuous support to IOFS as the host country of the organization's headquarters in Astana.
The visit comes at a time when Lebanon faces ongoing food security challenges. Both parties expressed strong commitment to strengthening cooperation and exploring opportunities for supporting Lebanon's agricultural sector and food security priorities.
