ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment Restoring Humanity and Leaving No One Behind: Working together to reduce people’s humanitarian need, risk and vulnerability

 

ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment

Restoring Humanity and Leaving No One Behind: Working together to reduce people’s humanitarian need, risk and vulnerability

 General Discussion

Remarks by Ms. Carla Mucavi, Director, FAO Liaison Office to the UN

ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters, New York

10am, 27 June 2016

 

 

Thank you for giving me the floor. For the sake of time, I am delivering a shortened version of these remarks. 

FAO welcomes the theme of this Humanitarian Affairs Segment.

I would like to begin by reaffirming FAO´s commitment to the Agenda for Humanity. FAO presented over 50 commitments at the World Humanitarian Summit.

They are already reflected in our program of work and are directly related to the five strategic priorities that FAO Members have defined for the Organization: ending hunger and malnutrition, promoting sustainability, reducing rural poverty, improving food systems and building resilience.

 

The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda clearly states that nobody should be left behind.

This requires coordinated and complementary actions from different actors. And many times our interventions need to address humanitarian and development needs at the same time.

In Syria, many farmers, mostly women, remain in the country and are struggling to keep their lands productive. They are the backbone of Syria's food supply and will be key to the country´s future recovery.

In Somalia, cash for work programs were part of the interventions that helped overcome famine, protect livelihoods, and rehabilitate rural infrastructure.

I want to recall that ensuring food security and nutrition is an important foundation for building peaceful societies, for addressing the root causes of distress migration and for ensuring longer-term sustainable development.

In another example, helping Filipino rice farmers in the immediate aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan meant that they did not lose the planting season, reducing the needs for humanitarian assistance and contributing to increasing local food security.

We have also learnt the importance of building resilience to natural disasters and acting before a crisis hits. 

 

Mr. Chair,

Working with governments, the UN country teams and partners on the ground, FAO has long supported countries respond to immediate and longer-term development needs. This assistance is tailored to local needs and that draws upon previous experience.

To end, I would like to reaffirm FAO´s commitment to, building on the World Humanitarian Summit, strengthen local, national and international level partnerships to:

• Invest in preparedness;
• Build resilience;
• Respond to emergencies;
• Protect life and dignity of people during crises; and,
• Foster longer-term development, in line with the goals that the global community defined in the 2030 Development Agenda.

 

Thank you for your attention.