FAO and UNDP in Brussels: Together towards a green recovery

The FAO Liaison Office and the UNDP Representation in Brussels met to look at ways to strengthen their long-standing partnership and how it can contribute to reinforce partnership with the European Union. The discussion stressed the importance of a ‘One UN’ approach, complementary efforts, and mutual support to deliver tangible results on the ground to fulfill their respective obligations under their Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019.

FAO and UNDP already cooperate extensively at the global and country levels. One example of their ongoing work together is the UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD), through which they support countries around the world in developing national forest monitoring systems, national REDD+ strategies, and action plans. Since its beginning, more than 100 projects in six pilot countries have been implemented and more than 2 000 REDD+ practitioners trained. This was also possible thanks to strong support from the European Union.

The heads of both agencies agreed to come up with a roadmap of joint actions enabling them to increasingly work together, and with the European Union, in the framework of the European Green Deal and its flagship strategies, such as the Biodiversity and the Farm-to-Fork Strategies.