Cabo Verde awards country’s highest honour to FAO

Praia, Cabo Verde/Rome – FAO Director-General QU Dongyu received Cabo Verde’s highest honour, the Award of the Order of Amilcar Cabral on behalf of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in recognition of what President José Maria Neves said was FAO’s “invaluable contribution” to the development of Cabo Verde.

Bestowing the Award to Qu on behalf of President Neves, Cabo Verde’s Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva cited the presidential decree conferring the honour which describes FAO’s longstanding relationship with the country.

"These relations began with pioneering projects in the domains of fisheries, forest protection and food security, which were decisive in Cabo Verde's development process," the decree read. It also noted the role FAO has had in helping to shape the nation’s public policies on rural development, soil management and water retention, rural extension and the organization of cooperatives, all of which have had a major impact in transforming the quality of life in rural and fishing communities.

In accepting the Award on behalf of FAO, the Director General thanked the President and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cabo Verde, “and indeed all the people of this beautiful small island state for the warm hospitality and sincere friendship.”

Qu noted that since taking office in 2019 he has made Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as Cabo Verde a special focus.  “I established the FAO Office of SIDS, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), to fully leverage the knowledge and expertise of the Organization for the benefit of these countries and to strengthen support to them in transforming their agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable,” the FAO Director-General said.

“Today’s Award celebrates the fruitful partnership between FAO and Cabo Verde over nearly five decades – since 1976 – and recognizes the successes we have achieved together so far. But it also marks the beginning of an even closer relationship as we continue to work together to achieve our collective aspiration for Cabo Verde to achieve the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all people across this small island developing state – leaving no one behind,” Qu added.

The FAO Director-General praised the effective teamwork and the collective efforts “from the political will of the top levels of government, to national technical experts, from FAO’s management to our technical experts at headquarters, at the regional level and in the country office,” that have made such achievements possible.

In his acceptance speech Qu also commended a national of Cabo Verde, FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo, ahead of her retirement later this month, through whom “I have appreciated the skills, knowledge and potential of this great, small nation.” He said that her legacy and contribution of one of Cabo Verde’s most influential women will remain long beyond her departure from FAO.