2nd General Assembly: AU-EU International Research Consortium (IRC) on FNSSA

Background
The AU-EU IRC on FNSSA, currently being operationalised by the CEA-FIRST project, is a multi-actor, member-based ‘Network-of-networks’, optimising the impact of Research and Innovation (R&I) investments, and strengthening capacity building within the AU-EU FNSSA R&I framework. Central to the realisation of these objectives is the formal establishment and activation of various IRC governance bodies, comprising the Secretariat, IRC Council, External Advisory Committee, thematic Working Groups, and the General Assembly.

In the past 24 months of implementation, the CEA-FIRST project has made remarkable strides:
• Essential IRC governance structures and operational frameworks (General Assembly, Secretariat, Council, External Advisory Committee, and Working Groups) have been established.
• Launch of IRC membership, along with strategies for membership growth, including the TOR for implementation.
• Development of IRC Statutes, a visual identity, and dissemination, exploitation and communication plan and channels
• Review of the 2016-2026 AU-EU FNSSA Roadmap and initiation of calls for Working Groups and expressions of interest for IRC Anchor Institutions

A significant milestone was reached with the activation of the Secretariat during the first IRC General Assembly, held in Brussels on March 14, 2025. This event marked Milestone 3 of the CEA-FIRST project and provided the momentum needed to operationalise the other governance structures for supporting the ongoing operationalisation and consolidation process of the IRC, setting the stage for the IRC pilot phase beginning in December 2025.
The AU-EU International Research Consortium on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (IRC-FNSSA) is entering a pivotal phase in its development. Following the successful establishment of foundational structures, the upcoming Second IRC-FNSSA General Assembly marks a critical development milestone, the transition from the consolidation phase to the pilot phase, a key step in operationalising the IRC’s governance, partnership frameworks and positioning in the AU-EU FNSSA partnership and implementation of the associated Roadmap (2027-2036).

Session Aims
The Second General Assembly of the IRC-FNSSA seeks to consolidate the progress achieved during the consolidation phase and lay the foundation for its pilot phase. This session will serve as a strategic platform to endorse key governance structures and establish the operational framework needed for effective piloting, approve the Statutes and IRC Secretariat functions and institutional arrangements, and align stakeholders around a shared vision for the IRC’s role and impact in transforming agrifood systems across Europe and Africa. By fostering collaboration and partnerships, the meeting aims to help build momentum for the IRC’s journey, to ultimately position it as a key driver of the AU-EU partnership’s efforts to transform agrifood systems across both continents sustainably.

Objectives of the 2nd IRC GA
Specifically, this second IRC General Assembly will:
1.Receive updates on progress made during the first 2 years of the CEA-FIRST project
2.Validate the governance and membership frameworks, including the endorsement of Council and External Advisory Committee (EAC) members, as well as the functioning of the various working groups and anchor institutions
3.Formally approve the IRC-FNSSA statutes, Strategy and operational plan, creating an adaptive governance framework that will enhance consortium operations and guide the FNSSA roadmap
4.Ratify IRC Secretariat functions, along with institutional arrangements
5.Strengthen partnerships and promote cross-continental collaboration to expand the IRC membership and support impactful FNSSA initiatives

Expected Outcomes
At the end of the meeting, we anticipate achieving the following goals:

− Endorsement of the IRC governance structures by all members
− Activation of IRC working groups and established Anchor Institutions
− Adoption of the IRC statutes, Strategy and operational plan enabling a structured and transparent governance process
− Renewed and expanded commitments from stakeholders to foster cross-continental collaboration and grow IRC membership

Registration: Registration Form – 2nd IRC-FNSSA General Assembly