Read-out of the FAO Director-General’s meeting with Juergen Voegele, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank

Washington, D.C. - Director-General QU Dongyu and Juergen Voegele, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank met and discussed the longstanding partnership between FAO and the World Bank.

Discussions during the meeting centered on how to continue strengthening the strategic relationship between FAO and the World Bank to catalyze agrifood systems transformation.

The Vice President welcomed the visit, noting that despite COVID-19 over the last two years that collaboration between the two organizations has not wavered.  He also conveyed his appreciation to FAO for the strong relationship between the two organizations. 

The Director-General also expressed his appreciation for the World Bank’s support to FAO’s mandate and for the longstanding collaboration between the two agencies, in particular on the work of the FAO Investment Centre.  He also highlighted the key role played by the World Bank in investments and coordination.

The two agreed that the world’s crises cannot be solved without transforming agrifood systems.  In this respect they briefly touched upon the importance of the upcoming COP 27 meeting, and its themes of food, water and energy.

The Director-General and the Vice President also discussed the importance of coordinated messaging on agrifood systems issues, and agreed to follow-up on this issue moving forward. They also touched upon agricultural research and the need for increased support in this area, as innovative solutions will continue to be needed to address food security challenges. 

Finally, the Director-General invited the Vice President to visit FAO and participate in the World Food Forum, the Science and Innovation Forum, and the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, to catalyze action.  The events will all take place in Rome, Italy during the week of 17-21 October.