Speech of the Prime Minister At the Opening of the 37th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,

His Excellency Mr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, esteemed guests, and distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

It is with great warmth that I welcome you to Jordan, your second home. As we celebrate the silver jubilee of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein's accession to power, it is our honor to host the thirty-seventh session of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East. This session, themed “Accelerating the Transformation of Regional Agrifood Systems to Achieve Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Amidst the Multiple Crises,” underscores the significance of our gathering amidst challenging regional and global circumstances. The urgency for developing mechanisms for self-reliance and country-level integration to secure food amidst crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict cannot be overstated.

The transition towards more efficient and comprehensive food systems in the Near East and North Africa is imperative to ensure the provision of healthy and safe food in light of escalating population growth, water scarcity, and climate change. Addressing food availability, accessibility, stability, and utilization challenges will offer smallholder producers and rural communities opportunities to enhance income, employment, and food production.

I must emphasize that innovation and digitization in agriculture remain underutilized, yet their broad adoption can significantly drive the sustainable development of food systems.

In light of these realities, we eagerly anticipate this conference’s role in addressing the critical issues our food and agricultural systems face, guided by the global and regional frameworks, programs, and priorities of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

In Jordan, we are committed to comprehensively transforming our agricultural sector and food systems, considering all value chain elements, from food industries to transportation, supply chains, labor, energy, and water. This transformation also involves empowering women, promoting gender equality, creating job opportunities, and improving the quality of rural products, which we view as fundamental for achieving holistic growth. Our efforts include developing sustainable markets and enhancing rural livelihoods to further our goals of food security and sustainable economic development.

Early on, Jordan initiated the Regional Observatory for Food Security, a project inspired by discussions between His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein and Mr. Qu Dongyu, the Director-General of the FAO, during his official visit to the Kingdom in 2022.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, as we face global challenges such as refugee crises, wars, and climate change, Jordan stands among the countries most affected. With one of the world’s highest refugee populations relative to our population, where approximately 81% live outside camps, the strain on our land, water, food, health, education and employment resources is immense.

Despite these challenges, we are dedicated to crafting flexible and innovative strategies to enhance our resilience through the optimal use of our natural and human resources, the adoption of modern agricultural technologies, and the implementation of measures to mitigate these pressures.

One of our most significant challenges is the extensive amount of food waste, presenting both a resource management issue and a moral imperative to fight hunger, foster environmental sustainability, and aid in securing food security. Astonishingly, 28% of the world's cultivable land is used to grow food that, rather than nourishing the hungry, ends up wasted. Therefore, managing losses and waste wisely is crucial to reducing the hunger experienced by millions suffering from food scarcity.

It is crucial that our discourse acknowledges the severe, condemnable, and egregious aggression inflicted upon our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli killing machine has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of lives and injuries, complete devastation of infrastructure, and disruption of livelihoods. Consequently, over two million individuals have been displaced, facing the harsh elements outdoors, deprived of access to clean drinking water, enduring acute hunger, and the lack of fundamental food security essentials. Additionally, there has been considerable destruction of agricultural land, with estimates suggesting over 40% of the cultivable area, as evidenced by satellite imagery, and around 70% of the sector's infrastructure has been decimated.

In the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, we take pride in having conducted numerous airdrops, initially on our own and subsequently in collaboration with brotherly and friendly nations. These airdrops have played a pivotal role in fostering a new global understanding of supporting those in distress and securing triumph amidst extraordinary and challenging conditions. These actions complement the continuous political and diplomatic endeavors spearheaded by His Majesty the King aimed at halting the aggression, ceasing settler violence in the West Bank, and ensuring a consistent and sustainable flow of humanitarian aid to our Palestinian brethren. Moreover, they are part of efforts to establish a political framework that paves the way back to peace, in alignment with the two-state solution. This solution envisions the creation of an independent Palestinian state with complete sovereignty, based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Esteemed guests,

As we draw this session to a close, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for presiding over this conference. Our appreciation extends to every individual who played a role in organizing this event. We are eager to make cohesive decisions that will forge a positive path for the future of agriculture, ensuring food security, environmental sustainability, and economic durability.

May peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you all.