Working with the German Presidency of the Council: Events that enlighten

The German Presidency of the Council of the European Union began on the first of July and FAO Brussels is maintaining regular contact with the Presidency on several key topics. FAO Director of the Emergency and Rehabilitation Division, Dominique Burgeon and Coordinator of the Regional Desert Locust Alliance Francesca Sangiorgi presented the progress, current challenges and future efforts in bringing the desert locust upsurge under control in Ethiopia

and Yemen to the Members of the Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid (COHAFA) of the Council of the European Union. They highlighted the potential of preventing and mitigating impacts of the locust infestation on livelihoods and food security through anticipatory action to reduce the impact of the crisis and build resilience in extremely vulnerable communities. Later that day, the FAO Director and his WFP colleague discussed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic being felt around the world, as lives, livelihoods and economies are being affected. They presented the COHAFA with the FAO/WFP early warning analysis of acute food insecurity hotspots which reports on urgent action to safeguard food security of the most vulnerable communities globally.

On 15 September, FAO’s Director Brussels Rodrigo de Lapuerta, presented FAO’s upcoming work priorities to the Council Coordination Working Party on FAO matters (AGRIFAO). FAO thanked the Croatian Presidency for their excellent collaboration in recent months and highlighted major themes, activities and key joint events in the second semester of 2020. Discussion with Member State Representatives covered various topics, including the EU Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies, the impact of COVID-19 on food and agriculture, and how our food systems can better absorb shocks through greater resilience and benefit from responsible investment. The activities of the Global Network against Food Crises, the newly established Joint FAO/WHO Centre, and the preparations for the UN Food Systems Summit in 2021, were at the heart of the exchange.