Public Audience with the Captains Regent of the Republic of San Marino, H.E. Alessandro Rossi and H.E. Milena Gasperoni

San Marino - During his visit to the Republic to San Marino on 23 May, Their Excellencies the Captains Regent Alessandro Rossi and Milena Gasperoni granted a Public Audience in honour of the FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu. During the Audience, the Director-General emphasized that it had been his long-term objective to visit San Marino and he praised H.E. Daniela Rotondaro, Permanent Representative to FAO, for her valuable contribution to FAO through her active engagement in the FAO Governing Bodies.

The Director-General note that during the first semester of 2023, San Marino had chaired the Europe Regional Group at FAO, and continued to be actively engaged in FAO key events, including at the global FAO Ministerial Conference and UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment held in 2023.

The Director-General emphasized the importance of each Member’s active engagement in the work of the Organization, no matter how big or small the country was, as it was critical to work collectively towards the Four Betters (better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life), explaining that these represent the integrated economic, social, and environmental dimensions of global agrifood systems.

The Director-General also met with H.E. Luca Beccari, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Economic Cooperation and Telecommunications, to discuss ways to further strengthen relations between FAO and San Marino.

The Director-General expressed his appreciation for the history of San Marino and its long-standing institutional framework. The Minister thanked the Director-General and briefed him on the challenges the economy faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that the pandemic had had very negative economic and social implications on the country, but that San Marino had managed to diversify its economy to reach levels of development better than pre-COVID. He further highlighted that the country had implemented several economic reforms with a long-term positive impact.

The Minister stated that recent military conflicts around the world demonstrated how food could become a weapon. The fragility of food, rural marginalization, mass migration, inequalities and mismanagement of crops were issues that needed immediate attention. Due to agricultural and rural traditions, and the development that the country was trying to achieve in national and domestic agrifood markets, San Marino views FAO as a close ally. The Minister also added that San Marino was working on a green transition, organic farming and increasing energy resources across the territory.

Both agreed to continue to strengthen collaboration between San Marino and FAO in support of agrifood systems transformation.

The Director-General also met with H.E. Stefano Canti, Minister for the Territory, Environment and Agriculture of San Marino. The pair discussed possible collaboration in the context of FAO’s Green Cities Initiative, with a focus on the green economy, food security and sustainable development.