Pakistan Officially Becomes a Permanent Member of the International Olive Council

Lisbon: Pakistan has achieved a significant diplomatic and agricultural milestone by officially taking its seat as a permanent member of the International Olive Council (IOC) during the Council's 123rd Session held in Lisbon, Portugal. The Pakistani delegation is led by the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, while Pakistan's Ambassador to Portugal, Ayesha Farooqi, is also part of the delegation.

According to the Foreign Office, Pakistan was granted permanent membership of the International Olive Council in May this year. At the opening of the session, the IOC Executive Director, the Chairperson, and member states warmly welcomed Pakistan as a permanent member.

Addressing the Council, Rana Tanveer Hussain thanked the IOC leadership and member countries for their support and highlighted Pakistan's remarkable progress in olive cultivation.

"More than seven million olive trees have been successfully planted across Pakistan. The government has established a complete olive value chain—from farms to consumers—which is significantly increasing domestic production."

Key Highlights:

• Permanent membership gives Pakistan voting rights in the International Olive Council's policy-making and decision-making processes.
• Pakistan will gain greater access to advanced agricultural technologies, olive processing equipment, and international technical expertise.
• More than 7 million olive trees have already been planted in suitable regions across the country.
• Economic experts believe the membership will help reduce edible oil imports while creating new opportunities for exporting high-quality Pakistani olive oil to international markets.