Joining efforts and looking forward to the busy months ahead
The Director of the FAO Liaison Office in New York, Guangzhou Qu, continues his rounds of courtesy calls in March, meeting with Member States, intergovernmental organizations, and UN counterparts to strengthen partnerships, support UN processes and improve delivery on the ground.
Reaffirming commitment to LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS
The FAO New York Director discussed with the Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations (UN) and Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), Ambassador Walton Alfonso Webson, the need to ensure SIDS perspectives are part of the conversation on building efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. This meeting concluded the round of courtesy calls with the chairs of LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS Groups at the UN.
In a meeting with Ambassador Jane J. Chigiyal, Permanent Representative of the Federated States of Micronesia to the UN, food security and nutrition, oceans and climate change discussions were on the agenda. Guangzhou Qu also met with Ambassador Yemdaogo Eric Tiare,Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso to the UN, and discussed the challenges faced by African LDCs and LLDCs. He congratulated Ambassador Tiare for his Chairmanship of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD54) to be held in April and for championing the health benefits of pulses, particularly for co-organizing the World Pulses Day celebrations in 2019 and 2020.
Building back better from COVID-19
When meeting with Ambassador Collen V. Kelapile, Permanent Representative of Botswana to the UN, and Ambassador Ronaldo Costa Filho, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the UN, discussions touched on the readiness to work together in the context of the UN and the High Level Political Forum to bring to the forefront the impacts of COVID-19 on food security and how to respond and build back better. Guangzhou Qu also met Ambassador Fatima K. Mohammed, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the UN. She noted how food security and nutrition has become an even more important issue in Africa in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Delivering on the 2030 Agenda and leaving no one behind
Ambassador Stefano Stefanile, Deputy Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN, recalled the strong partnership between FAO and Italy and discussed ways to strengthen efforts to end hunger and malnutrition, transform food systems, and leave no one behind. At a meeting with the Permanent Representative of Argentina to the UN, María del Carmen Squeff, the FAO Director praised her commitment to ending hunger and recaller her previous role as Chair of the Committee on World Food Security. Guangzhou Qu stressed that agri-food systems transformation was at the heart of FAO’s mandate to provide safer, more affordable, healthy diets for all.
In his discussions with Ambassador Tegan Brink, Chef de Cabinet to the President of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), they discussed FAO support to high-level events planned by the President of the General Assembly (PGA), including on Desertification, Land Degradation and Droughts, oceans, LDCs and digitalization and looked forward to strengthening cooperation in the run up to the UNGA High Level week in September.
Ambassador Dinh Quy Dang, Permanent Representative of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the UN, thanked FAO’s contribution to the country’s agricultural development. He noted that since 1996 Viet Nam is a major FAO South-South cooperation partner. They also discussed the agendas of conflict and hunger and climate and security in the context of Viet Nam’s membership of the Security Council.
Guangzhou Qu also discussed conflict and hunger with Ambassador Tarek Ladeb, Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the UN, and Ambassador Juan Sandoval Mendiolea, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Mexico the UN, explaining the interlinkages between conflict and hunger and FAO’s role in supporting that discussion.
At the meeting with Ambassador Pascale Christine Baeriswyl, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN, they exchanged views on the importance of innovation for agricultural development and on the International Innovation Award for Sustainable Food and Agriculture, funded by Switzerland. They also discussed joining efforts to prevent famine and end hunger.
Working as One UN in response to today’s challenges
In a conversation with Volker Türk, Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG), discussions touched upon the Secretary-General’s Common Agenda. Guangzhou Qu emphasized FAO’s alignment with the priorities of the Secretary-General and the organization’s commitment to closely collaborate with EOSG to improve delivery of the UN.
FAO Director Guangzhou Qu reviewed with Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the ongoing collaboration between FAO and DESA and discussed how to strengthen the joint work to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda and FAO’s contribution to the HLPF, that this year will review SDG2 among other goals, were also a subject of conversation in the meeting between Guangzhou Qu and Marion Barthélemy, Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development of UNDESA.
This year’s 54th Commission on Population and Development’s theme is “Population, food security, nutrition and sustainable development”. At a meeting with Guangzhou Qu, John Wilmoth, Director of the Population Division of UNDESA, thanked him for FAO’s continued commitment and involvement throughout the preparations of the session.
During the meeting with Anita Bhatia, Deputy Executive Director and Assistant Secretary-General, Resource Management, Sustainability and Partnerships of UN Women, they reiterated the need to collaborate on promoting gender equality, women's rights and their roles in agribusiness, as well as on tackling the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women’s health, incomes, safety and security.
Much work still remains to be done to address the needs of refugees and host communities in the fight against hunger. FAO Director Guangzhou Qu met with Ruven Menikdiwela, Director of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)’s Office in New York, to strengthen collaboration on this critical agenda.