FAO offers its expertise to China’s efforts to address the novel coronavirus outbreak

5 February 2020, Rome – FAO Director-General QU Dongyu has assured China of the Organization’s support as the country battles the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The offer came in a letter sent to President Xi Jinping. Co-signed by fellow Rome-based UN food agency heads, Gilbert Houngbo of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and David Beasley of the World Food Programme (WFP), the letter pledged readiness to provide support to China’s efforts to alleviate the impact of the virus on the population, particularly in rural areas. The letter has received coverage in prominent Chinese media outlets including here, here and here. 

FAO’s offer of support is rooted in its expertise in the management of zoonotic (animal-to-human) diseases, developed over years of close co-operation with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). A Tripartite Agreement provides a framework for joint leadership in addressing global health challenges.

From avian influenza (or bird flu) to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), FAO has worked to monitor, pre-empt, and limit the spread of pathogens of animal origin with the potential to harm human lives and livelihoods. A new, FAO-activated incident coordination group is working to ensure that all of China’s national veterinary laboratories can rapidly detect the new virus in animals, particularly those destined for human consumption.

Food safety concerns remain at the core of FAO’s mandate. Codex Alimentarius, a partnership with WHO, is a vast compendium of global standards and best practices governing food production and consumption.

In all emergencies, including food- and health-related ones, the most vulnerable nations and demographic groups suffer most. DG QU’s “matchmaking” Hand-in-Hand initiative, which brings together donor and recipient countries, aims to channel development efforts where the prevalence of hunger, poverty and malnutrition is highest.