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AGENDA ITEM 3

OUTLINE OF THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 2022-31 AND OUTLINE OF THE MEDIUM TERM PLAN 2022-25 (CL 165/3)

Thank you, Mr. Chairperson,

Indonesia has the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

We welcome the outline of the Strategic Framework 2022-31 and of the Medium Term Plan 2022-25 prepared by the Secretariat and we appreciate the inclusive consultation process that is being held with Members for the elaboration of these documents.

We recognize that, along with global trends and challenges, needs and priorities identified at the regional level should be taken into consideration to ensure a “bottom-up approach” in reviewing the Strategic Framework as foreseen in FAO’s Basic Texts.

We note with appreciation that the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at the center of the new Strategic Framework. We stress the centrality of SDGs 1 and 2, as well as the pivotal role of SDG 10, in FAO’s work in supporting Members to eradicate poverty, hunger and malnutrition and to achieve economic, social and environmental sustainability.

To that end, we also value the overreaching aspirations of the “four betters” –better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life which acknowledges the importance and interconnectedness of all SDGs in FAO’s work, including SDG8 and SDG14.

Mr. Chairperson,

The Group of G77 and China recognizes the need for sustainable food systems and highlights that, in some contexts and according to national priorities, transformations may be needed to achieve that goal. Such transformations, when appropriate, demand adequate transitional mechanisms, including financial resources, technology transfer and capacity building. In this regard, we recall that the principles of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities, solidarity and cooperation should guide the implementation efforts.

We also acknowledge the existence of a variety of proven approaches, systems and tools to achieve sustainable food systems and we call for the new Strategic Framework to guarantee that all of them are addressed by FAO in a neutral and balanced manner, so that they can be made available to Members accordingly, taking into account their different contexts, priorities and capacities.

We welcome the application of four cross-cutting accelerators in program interventions –technology, innovation, data and complements (governance, human capital and institutions) – to maximize efforts in meeting the SDGs. We stress the need for further efforts to make technologies and innovations available to all countries and stakeholders, hence reducing existing gaps and inequalities among and within countries. We also caution against calling “governance, human capital and institutions” “complements”, given that it understates the pivotal role those elements play in the pursuit of sustainable development.

We fully support FAO’s scientific and evidence-based normative work. We would also like to reaffirm the complementary role of TCP to FAO’s normative work and we support FAO to transform the TCP into a more strategic, facilitative instrument that provides Members with technical assistance based on the country’s specific needs to achieve the 2030 Agenda. We welcome FAO’s intention to increase the visibility of the normative work and TCP. We also value FAO’s elaboration of global public knowledge goods, such as flagship publications and data and statistics, and encourage the Organization to keep this work based on science and multilaterally agreed concepts.

We appreciate and encourage FAO’s efforts on transformative partnerships to contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth and strengthen contributions to the SDGs. The invigoration of the North-South Partnerships and South-South and Triangular Cooperation will significantly contribute to the successful delivery of FAO’s mandates.   

To conclude, Mr. Chairperson

The Group of G77 and China is committed to a strong FAO, driven by its membership. This is why we believe that it is FAO’s Members who have the prerogative and the duty to define the Organization’s priority programmatic areas for the next years. In this sense, while we look forward to and support a successful and result-oriented Food Systems Summit 2021, we consider that outcomes that are not negotiated by FAO Members should not determine, condition or limit the elaboration of the Organization’s Strategic Framework.

The new Framework could, however, be reviewed to take into account major outcomes of multilateral intergovernmental processes, if deemed appropriate by Members.

It should also be agile enough to enable FAO to respond to challenges that food systems face and may face in the future, and to address disruptions caused by climate change, natural disasters, conflict and socioeconomic crises.

With these comments, the Group of G77 and China commends the Secretariat for the progress in the outline of the Strategic Framework and the Medium Term Plan and looks forward to its further elaboration.