Pakistan has officially taken its seat as a permanent member of the UN International Olive Council (IOC) for the first time, during a meeting held in Lisbon, Portugal. The announcement was made in an official statement from the Pakistan embassy in Portugal.
Delegation Led by Federal Minister
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain led the Pakistani delegation to the 123rd meeting of the IOC. He was accompanied by Pakistan’s ambassador to Portugal, Aisha Farooqui. The meeting brought together representatives from 27 other olive oil producing nations.
Pakistan’s membership in the IOC, which began in May 2026, led to the invitation to attend this session. The country was warmly welcomed by the Executive Director, the Chairman of the IOC, and all member countries.
Minister’s Commitment to IOC Goals
In his address, Hussain thanked the IOC and reaffirmed Pakistan’s dedication to advancing the objectives and goals of the council. He highlighted the significant growth of Pakistan’s olive sector, noting that over 7 million olive trees are now cultivated across 55,669 acres. Olive clusters are expanding throughout the country, and a complete “farm-to-fork” value chain has been established.
This value chain includes 51 olive oil extraction units, modern processing facilities, nurseries, weather stations, and four IOC-aligned quality laboratories. Pakistan has also achieved self-sufficiency in producing certified olive saplings domestically.
International Recognition and Future Role
These advancements have earned international recognition, including a Silver Award at the New York International Olive Oil Competition (NYIOOC) last year. The statement concluded that Pakistan looks forward to playing a cooperative and positive role in the sustainable and climate-resilient development of the global olive oil and table olives sector.
