Belgium and FAO work hand-in-hand to address global food emergencies

The Belgian Federal Parliament’s Chamber of Representatives (La Chambre) invited FAO Brussels Director Raschad Al-Khafaji to present the Organization’s latest data and analyses related to the war in Ukraine and its impact on global food security, and to answer questions from the parliamentary membership of the Working Group on Food Security (groupe de travail ‘sécurité alimentaire’).  

Al-Khafaji warmly thanked Belgium for its generous and continued support to FAO’s humanitarian operations and made a special mention of the country’s most recent contribution, which is enabling FAO to support some of the most vulnerable rural households in Ukraine.  

The presentation included updates on FAO’s response on the ground, outlines of various risks related to the impacts of the conflict, projections on potential scenarios as well as key recommendations. During the question-and-answer session that followed, Al-Khafaji was joined by Boubaker Ben Belhassen, Director of the FAO Markets and Trade Division, who participated virtually and answered questions on food prices and global agricultural markets. Belgium is a long-standing partner of FAO in its work to transform global agrifood systems, and through the Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation (SFERA) the country has reacted swiftly to emergencies as they arise around the world. FAO and Belgium collaborate on a number of topics from emergencies and resilience-building to biodiversity and innovation.

You can watch a recording of the session here.

You can read more about FAO’s response to the war in Ukraine here.