Joint Meeting of the Programme and Finance Committees Closing Remarks

Joint Meeting of the Programme and Finance Committees

Closing Remarks

By

Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General

10 November 2023

 

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Colleagues,

 

Thank you for your contribution to the discussions this week in the Joint Meeting, as well as the Programme and Finance Committees.

 

As usual, your comments and recommendations to the Council will be constructive signals for its deliberations next month.

 

The messages are clear that your discussions affirmed your ongoing support for key priorities of the Organization, as set out in the Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) 2024-25, approved by the Ministerial Conference in early July, and as reinforced by the proposed Adjustments,

 

Including the need to strengthen programming and programmatic support, management, and oversight.

 

And the importance of funding for FAO’s scientific, evidence-based normative work and statistics, thereby ensuring the Organization can effectively leverage its comparative advantage.

 

You also reaffirmed the need for the Organization to continue its focus on the One Health approach, and on integrated waters resources management.

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

Your discussions reflected our collective view for the need to continue strengthening partnerships to achieve the Programme Priority Areas (PPAs) set out in the Strategic Framework, to support the transformation of global agrifood systems for the Four Betters, and to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

 

You have also recognized the big progress and further need to strengthen collaboration across the UN wide system to, among others, leverage joint funding mechanisms, for big team spirit, and to improve impact at the country level working as ONE UN.

 

Empowering youth and women are not “a Choice”, but “a Must” for agrifood systems transformation and sustainable rural development, to facilitate achievement of the Strategic Framework 2022-31, and to accomplish FAO’s noble mission.

 

Dear Friends,

 

As I stated in my opening remarks on Monday and recalling my Manifesto setting out my vision for the next four years, we need to build upon the Four “E V1.0” which characterized our first four years together – Efficiency, Effectiveness, Extraordinary and Excellency – to the Four “E V2.0”  under the overarching four “Rs”: Recovery, Reform, Rebuild, and Renaissance within the FAO global system and network.

 

Let’s continue to think together, learn together, work together, and contribute together “Hand in Hand” for people, planet, and prosperity, and for happiness – leaving no one behind.

 

Thank you.