FAO-Cabo Verde: Acknowledging the crucial role of SIDS for biodiversity conservation

29 August 2019, Yokohama – FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu and Cabo Verde Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva met today for talks that focused on the need to scale up efforts to better harness the full potential of ocean resources in the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

In talks that took place on the sidelines of TICAD7, Qu stressed the crucial role of the SIDS for biodiversity conservation, noting that these countries were disproportionally suffering from the impacts of climate change including severe droughts and hurricanes among others.

“FAO will provide more tailored and specific service to develop these countries’ agricultural sector whilst facilitating and promoting investment and market access. Supporting the SIDS is supporting the world,” Qu said.

The FAO chief highlighted the untapped potential of the ocean resources in the SIDS and the opportunity to develop tourism to create sustained demand for quality and safe agri-products.