Statement by the Director-General on the
occasion of the presentation of the FAO Agricola Medal in
memory of His Excellency Keizo Obuchi, former Prime
Minister of Japan
Yokohama, Japan, 30 August 2000
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure and privilege for me to present
this Agricola medal, the highest distinction of the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which
is dedicated to the memory of the late Keizo Obuchi,
former Prime Minister of Japan. By conferring this medal
posthumously, FAO wishes to pay tribute to his life-long
achievements in the promotion of global welfare and his
unswerving support in the struggle against hunger and
poverty.
When His Excellency Obuchi had accepted earlier this
year to receive the Agricola medal, I had hoped that it
would eventually be presented to him in person.
Regrettably, the hand of fate that suddenly took him away
from us prevents us on this day from expressing to him
our appreciation for his invaluable contribution to the
welfare of mankind. His presence is sorely missed.
However, the spirit of his commitment to a more just and
prosperous world lives on, etched not only in the hearts
of the Japanese people but also in the minds of many
throughout the world who shared with him the values and
principles he advocated so relentlessly.
Keizo Obuchi was a visionary leader whose policies
reflected his strong belief in human solidarity and
respect for the environment. The tenets of his political
philosophy were founded on a commitment to lead Japan to
become a nation of "wealth and virtue". Upon assuming the
highest office in the Government, he strove with wisdom
and resolve to forge a new vision, one that would allow
Japan to address the multitude of challenges confronting
it in the third millennium, while building on the virtues
and principles that had shaped its past. By engaging
people in direct dialogue, he fostered a close link with
the people and was able to thus create a vision for the
Twenty-first century that sought to promote world peace
and stability. In this respect, he believed that the
wealth of the nation lay in its embrace of great
aspirations, not only for its own society but also with
regard to Japan's significant role within the
international community.
To this end, His Excellency Obuchi devoted himself to
the economic rebirth of Japan and actively pursued the
reinforcement of international cooperation. One of the
challenges that he believed had to be confronted was the
"challenge for the globe". He was particularly concerned
with the major burden being imposed on the global society
and its environment as a result of mass production, mass
consumption and mass waste. He acknowledged that hunger
and malnutrition were an important facet of the challenge
facing the globe and that the elimination of these
scourges was vital if world peace and development were to
be achieved. It was as a direct result of his initiative
that the Human Security Fund of the United Nations was
established to support projects, including those being
implemented by FAO, aimed at enhancing food security in
developing countries.
Keizo Obuchi was a passionate advocate of the
commitments made at the World
Food Summit that was held in Rome in 1996. He
espoused the cause of fighting against hunger and
malnutrition and played an active role in supporting the
concerted efforts of the campaign to reduce by at least
half the number of people suffering from hunger by the
year 2015. The Agricola medal that has been struck in his
memory appropriately bears the inscription "Food - Basic
for Human Security", embodying thus the ethos of his
everlasting conviction.
The kind offer made by the Japanese Government to host
this 25th
Session of the Regional Conference for Asia and the
Pacific here in Yokahama is a reflection of Japan's
endorsement of these ideals and the legacy left by His
Excellency Obuchi to continue the struggle of ensuring
Food for All.
In the presence of the representatives of all the
Asian and Pacific Member Nations, I wish to reiterate, on
behalf of FAO and my own behalf, our sincere condolences
to the family of His Excellency Keizo Obuchi and to the
people of Japan for the loss of a distinguished man and a
leader of our times. Keizo Obuchi's invaluable
contribution to mankind will long be remembered.
