FAO and Arab League share commitment to end poverty and hunger

15 December 2019, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt - FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, today discussed their joint efforts to end poverty and hunger as they met on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt.

Qu said he appreciated the League’s support for FAO and in particular its new Hand-in-Hand initiative. 

Aboul-Gheit expressed appreciation for FAO’s work, stressed the excellent working relations between the Arab League and FAO, and highlighted the Organization’s important activities in the date palm sector, such as combatting the red palm weevil.

The Hand-in-Hand initiative, announced in September, seeks to match donors and recipients in a more targeted way to assist the most vulnerable people in developing countries and help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

FAO and the Arab League are working collaboratively on several regional challenges, such as water scarcity, drought management and achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 2.