Originally delivered in Spanish, check against delivery
Thank you, Your Excellency Abdulla Shahid, President of the General Assembly.
As I said at the beginning, I am deeply honoured to have joined forces with you, and with the UN Secretary-General, in co-convening this high-level event.
Today’s discussion has filled me with optimism and hope. Indeed, President Shahid, yours is a Presidency of Hope.
While the nature and scale of the challenge is daunting and would have made many shrivel, what I heard today is extraordinary leadership of national governments, farmers, civil society and of global institutions.
I heard resilience from those on the frontline, from our food producers.
This is what makes us special, that we can rise against even the most insurmountable of challenges.
Excellences, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, we heard the need to act with URGENCY. Even more important, we heard the need to continue act TOGETHER, in a COORDINATED manner in support of country-led solutions.
The people most affected by this crisis do not have the luxury of time for duplication or lack of coordination. Nor do future generations, who count on the transformation of food systems, to secure their human right to adequate food, to dignified livelihoods and a healthy planet.
Excellences,
The PGA and I have listened carefully and we will produce a Co-Chairs summary of our meeting.
As I conclude, allow me to offer my reflection on the SIX priority actions I heard, that we must take together, to raise ambition and deliver concrete actions, NOW.
Excellences,
In these challenging times of such a distressing food crisis, it is more urgent than ever to keep our vision and our compass: only sustainable, inclusive, and equitable food systems will deliver resilience to cope with the multi-dimensional shocks such as the ones we are witnessing today. Responding to the current food crisis implies accelerating food systems transformation, not setting it aside. Let us remain committed to the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement as our roadmap and our vision.
Distinguished delegates,
The discussion we have started here today will be continued at the CFS Plenary in Rome in October this year, with a High Level Ministerial Session on 10th October.
I look forward to seeing you all there and thank you once again for your engagement.