Rome-Moscow teleconference to promote the FAO mission

The first ever meeting between the FAO Liaison Office with the Russian Federation (FAOLOR) in Moscow and the Permanent Mission of The Russian Federation to FAO and other UN Agencies in Rome was held in the format of a videoconference, for the purpose of synchronisation and harmonisation of joint activities. The discussion was focused on topical issues of interaction between Russia and FAO. The moderators were the FAOLOR Director Oleg Kobiakov and Russian Ambassador Victor Vasiliev.

Participants of the teleconference noted that despite the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, cooperation between Russia and FAO is developing at a steady pace. The network of contacts of the FAO Moscow office with Russian partners, including federal ministries and agencies, civil society organizations, business, research and academia, is being expanded and strengthened. In turn, the Russian permanent mission in Rome fully accomplishes its main mission of ensuring the participation of the Russian Federation in the activities of the key bodies of FAO, including the FAO Council, making a significant political and expert contribution to the formation of the organization's agenda and activities.

Current FAO technical assistance projects implemented in a number of countries with voluntary contributions from the Russian Federation were discussed in detail, in particular, capacity-building projects to strengthen food security and nutrition in a number of countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia; combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in agriculture and food systems; promoting sustainable soil resource management within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership, including the digitization of the William’s Soil and Agronomic Museum. 

In this context, the two parties also exchanged views on new promising projects under consideration, including assistance to Central Asian and Transcaucasian countries to combat foot-and-mouth disease; strengthening the capacity of the Belarusian phytosanitary service; global forest resources survey using remote sensing data, etc.

An agreement was reached to strengthen the exchange of information materials, including on the websites of both missions, support for information support of important events, including the celebration this year of the 75th anniversary of the victory in the World War II, the 75th anniversary of the creation of FAO and the UN, as well as the preparation and holding of the UN Food Systems Summit 2021.

Representatives of both organizations agreed to hold such working meetings on a regular basis.