174th Session of the FAO Council Closing Remarks By Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Colleagues,

The 174^th Session of the FAO Council shall be recorded in the history of FAO as a unique one.

It was not an easy week but based on our Constitution and the Basic Texts (2017), and of course under our mandate, the collective will to go forward with the important work of this Organization prevailed.

Although we are sometimes challenged by different interpretations and by disagreements, we are always able to reach compromise and consensus, united under the mandate of FAO moving towards the noble mission for the elimination of hunger and poverty.

I was pleased that we converged this week on the primary importance of empowering youth and women, officially establishing the FAO Office of Youth and Women (FAO-OYW) for the effective transformation of agrifood systems and rural development.

A big congratulations to all of you! It is YOU who made history with me, together!

[continues in Chinese]

The world belongs to everyone, but the future is in the hands of the youth. Young generations are full of energy, hope, and always eager to make things better. Being young isn’t just about age, but also about physical well-being and a positive mindset.  To stay young, we all need to embrace lifelong learning, keep working, and seek to make a positive impact to the world around us.    

In 1762, 260 years ago, Jean-Jacques Rousseau became the pioneering philosopher to advocate for gender equality through a historical lens. His renowned work, Du Contrat Social, put forth the idea of equal rights for women. Seventy years ago, the first Constitution of the People’s Republic of China affirmed equal rights of both men and women in the economy, society, culture, and family. Acknowledging the pivotal role of women, the phrase "women hold up half the sky" underscores their indispensable contributions to the peace and prosperity of families, communities, and the world at large.                      

[continues in English]

We need them to think innovatively, be action oriented and results targeted, to change and accelerate national and global pathways towards achieving more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient, and more sustainable agrifood systems.

They are real game changers for the Four Betters, and the cross-cutting catalysts for implementing the FAO Strategic Framework over the next decade, and beyond.

The Adjustments to the Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) 2024-25 you have endorsed will ensure that FAO’s work over the coming biennium will be targeted, prioritized, and tailored to the needs of Members.

Dear Colleagues,

The complex challenges we are facing as an international community demand that we work together – this is not an option. As the UN Specialized Agency tasked with food and agriculture, we must ensure our strategies, action plans, initiatives and priorities should be focused on our mandate.

We need to make every effort to fully equip the Organization to provide the best technical, professional support to Members, to assist them achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Let us continue to work in an open, transparent, and inclusive manner, for effective governance and decision-making, and for concrete actions at the country level. Working as ONE FAO and as part of the ONE UN family.

The ongoing COP28 has affirmed that food and agriculture must be at the top of the international agenda because agrifood systems transformations are the climate solutions. Transformative agrifood systems will also ensure social, economic, and environmental multiple benefits with food security, improved livelihoods, and rural development.

Peace remains a prerequisite for food security, and we need to remember that the Right to Food is a basic human right.

I, together with all our employees from headquarters to the field, have worked tirelessly over the past four years to achieve the goals I had set out in my first Manifesto. I look forward to working with all partners for more deliverables during my second term as FAO Director-General.

[continues in Chinese]

The Renaissance and modernization of FAO must rely on its specialized staff, the vitality of young employees, and the modernization of governance, management, and organizational culture. It is crucial to mobilize the collective efforts of all Members, while showing compassion and sharing of wisdom. Working together, we must invest in the future of humanity, and enhance our commitment to better serving the needs of farmers and consumers.              

[continues in English]

The FAO Renaissance will only happen if we are determined to think together, work together and contribute together to Recover, Rebuild, and Reform.

Thank you.