600 high-level government representatives to attend; FAO program of work and budget for 2018-19 up for approval

FAO's 194 Members will meet from 3 to 8 July for the 40^th session of the biennial FAO Conference, the Organization’s highest governing body.

Over 600 high-level government representatives are expected to attend, including Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, the President of Palau, the Deputy Prime Ministers of Australia, Montenegro and Slovenia, the President of the UN General Assembly, and more than 60 ministers.

Participants will debate a number of pressing policy issues related to global food security, including the impacts of climate change on agriculture and efforts to realize the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

The Conference will also review and vote on the FAO Director General’s proposed program of work and budget for 2018-19.

A series of side events will focus on issues of particular global relevance, such as such ongoing efforts to prevent famine in drought- and conflict-affected nations in Africa, water scarcity in the Near East and North Africa, achieving Zero Hunger, food security in small island developing states, and the role of rural development in mitigating pressures that are helping drive global migration.

 

KEY EVENTS:

Monday 3 July

Opening of the Conference

When: 09:00 | Where: Plenary Hall

Keynote address by Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni

Policy statement by FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva

Speech by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin

Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, will deliver the biennial FAO McDougall Memorial Lecture

Zero Hunger - Turning Commitment into Action to Achieve SDG2

When: 13:00 -15:00 | Where: Plenary Hall

This side event will showcase how FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) are working together to implement the 2030 Development Agenda, in particular the second sustainable development goal of Zero Hunger.

Participants: FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva, IFAD President Gilbert Houngbo, and WFP Executive-Director David Beasley as well as ministers of agriculture and foreign affairs from Africa, Europe, and Latin America.

 

Tuesday 4 July

Addressing water scarcity and improving food security under climate change - Perspectives from the Near East and North Africa

When: 12:30‐14:00| Where: Iraq Room

This FAO- League of Arab States side event will gather perspectives, experiences, and lessons learned in addressing food security within a context of water scarcity from countries in the Near East and North Africa.

Participants: FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva along with ministers and high-level representatives from Arab countries.

Launch of the Global Action Programme (GAP) on Food Security and Nutrition in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

When: 19:00-20:30 | Where: Green Room

This session marks the official launch in Rome of the Global Action programme (GAP) on Food Security and Nutrition in Small Island Development States (SIDS). It seeks to build support behind the GAP’s implementation and will look at specific actions that can be taken at the global, regional, national and community levels.

Participants: FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva; Tommy E. Remengesau, President of Palau; Peter Thomson, President of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly

 

Wednesday 5 July

FAO´s role in supporting the implementation of the Peace Agreement in Colombia: advances and challenges

When: 08:30-09:30 | Where: Sheikh Zayed Centre

The event will focus on Colombia’s plan for comprehensive rural reform, the links between peace and food security, and the role of FAO and its partners in supporting the peace process in Colombia.

Participants: FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva; Rafael Pardo, Minister of Post-Conflict of Colombia.

Looking for Sustainable Solutions to Fight Famines in Conflict Situations

When: 12:30-14:30 | Where: Iraq Room

Member countries will be briefed on the latest food security situation in north-eastern Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, and on the ongoing response by FAO and WFP.

Participants: FAO Director of Emergencies Dominique Burgeon; Amir Abdulla, Deputy Executive-Director, WFP.

Leaving No One Behind - Achieving Gender Equality for Food Security, Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture

When: 12:30-14:30 | Where: Plenary Hall

This session will give government representatives, UN entities, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders the opportunity to reflect on opportunities to promote gender equality and rural women’s empowerment.

Participants: FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva; Ministers and representatives from El Salvador, ECOWAS, Cambodia, the EU, Turkey, Tunisia and civil society representatives.

FAO Awards Ceremony

When: 18:00-19:00 | Where: Green Room

Individuals, institutions and organizations who have made outstanding contributions to efforts to tackle hunger will be recognized for their achievements through a series of awards conferred by FAO.

Participants: FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva; Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), William Swing; Victória de Barros, Minister of Inland and Marine Fisheries of Angola.

 

Thursday 6 July

Mobilizing Agriculture and Rural Development as an Adaptation Alternative to Climate-induced Migration

When: 14:00-15:30 | Where: Sheikh Zayed Centre

The role of agriculture and rural development in mitigating migration pressures related to climate change will be the focus of this event, which will include a discussion regarding priority areas for action.

Participants: FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva; Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), William Swing.

 

Friday 7 July

Blue Ocean, Blue Growth - People, Resources, Innovation

When: 14:00-15:30 | Where: Iraq Room

Progress made so far under FAO’s Blue Growth Initiative (BGI), which provides developing countries with a framework for growing their aquatic economies in a sustainable and ecological manner, will be discussed.

List of all side events with concept notes.

 

Accreditation

All journalists must accredit in advance via email by Thursday, 29 June 2017, specifying which days you wish to attend the FAO conference.

Required materials:

• Scan of a valid press card (or) letter of assignment on company stationery
• Scan of valid form of ID (passport, identity card).
• Address for accreditation: [email protected]. Include "Accreditation FAO conference" in the subject line.

You will need to have these materials with you to gain access to FAO.

Media traveling with national delegations should accredit through their embassy/FAO representation in Rome.