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Iraq has formally acceded to the International Olive Council (IOC), becoming a full member of the intergovernmental organisation on 8 August 2026. The move extends the Council's reach across the Middle East and adds a new geography to a body historically anchored in the Mediterranean basin.
The decision crowns a two-year engagement in which Baghdad participated in IOC activities as an observer, a period that allowed Iraqi institutions to study the Organisation's programmes and to assess the value of deeper multilateral cooperation in the olive sector.
On Wednesday, 9 September, IOC Executive Director Jaime Lillo received Iraq's newly appointed Ambassador to Spain, H.E. Mr Ali Shamran Hajem, at the Organisation's headquarters in Madrid. The courtesy meeting formally opened the new phase of relations between Iraq and the Council.
During the talks, Lillo outlined the IOC's main areas of activity and the services available to member countries. As a full member, Iraq will gain access to the Council's technical cooperation programmes, training initiatives and specialised working groups, and will be able to exchange know-how with established olive-producing nations in support of its domestic sector. The Ambassador was also briefed on the calendar of upcoming institutional meetings.
The accession reflects a wider pattern of expansion for the IOC, whose membership has been broadening beyond the traditional olive-producing countries of the Mediterranean. Rising global consumption of olive oil and growing interest in olive products across new markets are pushing the Organisation to widen its geographic scope.
By integrating additional members, the IOC is reinforcing its role as a global forum for cooperation, dialogue and the development of common standards across the olive value chain.
The Council said it warmly welcomes Iraq as its newest member and looks forward to building close cooperation with the country in the years ahead.
Source: International Olive Council