10 May 2018, Rome--- Conflict has increased food insecurity in the Near East and to reverse this situation it is crucial to strengthen the resilience of poor, rural communities, including through social protection systems, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today at the opening of the Ministerial Session of FAO's Regional Conference for the Near East which is being attended by ministers and other top officials from more than 30 countries.

The level of undernourishment in countries facing conflict in the Near East and North Africa region is about 28 percent of their population - six times larger than in non-conflict countries in the region. FAO's highest priority is to support countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goal Number 2 on ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition, and also promoting sustainable agriculture development.