New York - The Director-General QU Dongyu met today with The Right Honourable Philip Joseph Pierre, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Economic Development and the Youth Economy of Saint Lucia on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The Prime Minister thanked the Director-General for FAO’s ongoing technical support to Saint Lucia and noted that the country counted on this strong support to continue in the future. In particular, the Prime Minister noted that Saint Lucia was looking into diversifying its agriculture sectors, with the ambition of enhancing local production to meet the food needs of its population along with the demands of the tourism sector in the country, thereby establishing close links between local agriculture and tourism.
Notably, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of involving youth in the agriculture sectors, noting their potential for catalyzing agrifood systems transformation in the country. Science, technology, innovation and digital agriculture were highlighted as specific ways that youth can become involved in a more dynamic agriculture sector and the youth economy.
The Prime Minister also noted the importance of bringing local production of certain products in line with international standards, in order to increase their appeal for export on the international market. At the same time, he also noted the need for Saint Lucia to add value (locally) to the products it produces.
For his part, the Director-General thanked the Prime Minister for Saint Lucia’s support to the work of FAO, and highlighted some of the key reforms he has emplaced in the Organization since 2019 to ensure FAO is fit-for-purpose and equipped to deliver effective support to all its Members.
Of particular relevance to Saint Lucia, the Director-General cited FAO’s new Office of SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs and highlighted the Organization’s systematic and structural commitment to do more and better for these countries in finding solutions to the specific challenges they face.
The Director-General also reaffirmed FAO’s support to Saint Lucia, especially through technical assistance for the transformation of its agrifood systems to increase food security.
The Director-General also expressed his hope that Saint Lucia would participate in the World Food Forum, the Science and Innovation Forum, and the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, which will all take place in Rome, Italy during the week of 17-21 October.
The two also discussed the important role that digital agriculture and e-commerce can play in transforming agrifood systems, especially in SIDS. In that respect the Director-General highlighted that FAO launched a SIDS Solutions Platform that will help to incubate, promote, scale up and replicate locally grown ideas, and enhance knowledge exchange, in order to accelerate the achievement of agriculture, food, nutrition, environment and health.
