FAO Director-General looks forward to a closer cooperation with Singapore in assisting SIDS to transform their agrifood systems

Singapore – During an official visit to Singapore, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), QU Dongyu, met H.E. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, H.E. Ms. Grace FU, and Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, as well as H.E. Lim Kok Thai, Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Food Agency, to follow up on implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on food security and safety signed by FAO and Singapore on the sidelines of G20 Agricultural Ministers’ Meeting in September 2021.

During his meetings with the senior officials, the Director-General encouraged Singapore to play a more active role in leading SIDS with their agrifood systems transformation in support of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The representatives of the Government of Singapore conveyed appreciation to the Director-General for his valuable proposals, and especially commended his leadership over the past four years in implementing the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.

Looking ahead, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the areas of food safety, CODEX Alimentarius, climate resilience, water related issues, food loss and waste, One Health and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) among others.