Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Closing Ceremony

CFS Closing Ceremony

Friday, 18 October 2019 – Plenary Hall

 

Thank you, Mr. Chairperson. During the past days I took my first CFS as FAO Director-General very, very seriously and was very, very deeply engaged. I started last Saturday. We had a first meeting with the Civil Society. I met the World Farmers Organization, all the civil society organizations, as well as the private sector. I had two meetings with the private sector: one was in the evening, and I also had a special dialogue with them individually. In that case, I am supporting you in action not in talking.

CFS is very important and now we have a new Chairperson. I would like to give thanks to the outgoing Chairperson. He made a tremendous contribution to this important forum. I would also like to welcome the newly selected Chairperson, who is also our close friend.

I hope that CFS will have more solid, tangible, accountable - you always say accountable but I say more helpful – results for Members and for the farmers.

FAO is the host organization of the Secretariat of CFS – all of the Secretariat staff are under my employment so I take care of their legal rights.

I expect Secretary of CFS to play a complementary role with the RBAs and with all the Member Countries. It can offer a professional platform to help the people who really expect it. Because Small Islands have special requirements, landlocked states have special requirements and some middle-income countries also have their requirements. We are working for different groups. Not too much in general.

I had a long discussion with the outgoing Chairperson and I expect that we will have an interaction with the new Chairperson together with the Secretary. To do so, I always consider that if you have more inclusivity, you have more positive outcomes. So I consider CFS a very positive platform for FAO, for the mandate of FAO and for farmers especially.

Thank you for your support; your support for FAO and for CFS. We will expect CFS to have a real beautiful story to tell you in the next two or three years. Thank you.