Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Launches its Strategic Framework in Lebanon for 2016-2019

Under the patronage of the Prime Minister, Mr. Tammam Salam, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Lebanon, launched its "Lebanon - Country Programming Framework 2016 - 2019" at the Grand Serail in Beirut, on Monday, May 16, 2016. The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Agriculture in Lebanon, Mr. Akram Chehayeb, the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Lebanon, Mr. Philippe Lazzarini, the Representative of FAO in Lebanon, Dr. Maurice Saade, and a crowd of political figures, representatives of donors, embassies, United Nations organizations and civil society organizations.

In his opening remarks, the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Philippe Lazzarini said, “This framework represents a reaffirmation of the close development partnership between FAO - and the UN more broadly - and the Government of Lebanon. It shows our commitment to redouble our efforts to respond to the growing needs of the people in Lebanon and support the Government in achieving sustainable economic, social, and environmental development”.

Stressing on the importance of this document signed by the Organization and the Ministry of Agriculture, Representative of FAO in Lebanon, Dr. Maurice Saade, said "FAO prepared the Country Programming Framework (CPF) 2016-2019 document defining the development priorities for the collaboration between the Government of Lebanon (GoL) and FAO in the fields of agriculture, food security and natural resources. It is a joint framework which will guide FAO partnership and support with the GoL contributing to national and regional priorities and corporate results.”

Minister of Agriculture, H.E. Mr. Akram Chehayeb, who chaired the 33rd session of FAO Regional Conference for the Near East, held few days ago in Rome, said in his speech, “with both FAO and the Ministry’s strategies, we look forward to finding innovative solutions with the partnership of public and private sector and the civil society, in order to achieve the goals that put Lebanon on the right path of sustainable development, particularly the eradication of hunger.”