Bilateral meeting with H.E. Tomáš Taraba, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Environment of the Slovak Republic

Rome - FAO Director-General QU Dongyu met today with H.E. Tomáš Taraba, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Environment of the Slovak Republic, on the margins of the 2025 World Food Forum and FAO’s 80th Anniversary celebrations at FAO headquarters. His Excellency Richard Takáč, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development also participated in the meeting.

The Director-General welcomed Deputy Prime Minister Taraba and expressed appreciation for Slovakia’s long-standing commitment to FAO. He emphasized the Organization’s continued efforts to promote the diversification of agriculture and diets and noted the importance of stability in achieving the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems.

Deputy Prime Minister Taraba thanked the Director-General and congratulated him on FAO’s 80th anniversary, describing FAO as a most cherished and appreciated international organization and one that is essential for the world. He reflected on the Slovak Republic’s agricultural sector, noting that the conditions for agriculture in the country were very favorable, with an abundance of fresh water, fertile soils, and renewable energy sources. He outlined the ambition to grow agrifood system diversification and value addition.

The Director-General recalled his official visit to the Slovak Republic in 2024 and commended the Deputy Prime Minister’s plan to combine agrifood system transformation with environmental protection.

Following the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development and the Director-General proceeded to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a framework for collaboration to advance sustainable agrifood systems transformation and food security. The MoU will further consolidate collaboration in the sustainable management of natural resources, biodiversity, agrifood systems innovation, and inclusive rural transformation, and facilitate capacity building and knowledge exchange.