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Libya joins International Dates Council, aiming to boost its date palm sector

Libya officially joined the International Dates Council IDC on April 12. The IDC welcomed Libya's accession, recognizing it as a significant addition that will enhance international cooperation in the date palm sector and strengthen the IDC's role as a global reference for date producers, exporters, and consumers. Princess Sarah bint Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Executive Director of the Council, commended the Libyan government's focus on the date palm sector, highlighting its strategic importance, nutritional value, and economic, social, environmental, and cultural significance. She also noted Libya's long history in palm cultivation, diverse local date varieties, and its geographical position as a gateway to African and European date markets. Libya has over 10 million palm trees, with an annual date production of approximately 180,000 tons. The IDC stated that Libya's membership will provide opportunities to benefit from its programs and initiatives in scientific research, supply chain development, post-harvest processing, international promotion, and capacity building within the sector. On April 14, Princess Sarah bint Bandar bin Abdulaziz met with Fatih Bashir Bashina, Chargé d’affaires of the Libyan Embassy in Saudi Arabia, to mark Libya's new membership. Discussions covered the state of Libya's date palm sector, the strategic importance of its southern and western regions as key growing areas, and challenges such as combating the red palm weevil. Both parties affirmed their co