The first UN Food Systems Summit will have a long-lasting impact on a global scale, despite the other historic events of 2021.

This echoes across Europe and Central Asia, giving an impulse to a side event at the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development on the role of sustainable food systems in building back better in Europe and Central Asia and carrying forward the momentum of the Food Systems Summit held on 6 April. The side event was convened by the Issue-based Coalition on Sustainable Food Systems in collaboration with Chatham House. 

Member States of Europe and Central Asia had the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience on the implementation of the Summit national pathways. 

"The concrete heritage of the UN Food Systems Summit, which seeks to leverage the most powerful opportunities and solutions to the most pressing interconnected global food system challenges, will depend on national governments turning promises into policies and concrete actions in the months ahead, particularly in our region. This is why our side event was crucial now," commented Mary Kenny, FAO food safety and consumer protection officer.