Bilateral meetings with Djibouti’s Ministers of Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, Livestock and Fisheries Resources; Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Government Spokesperson; Finance and Economy; and Environment and Sustainable Development

Djibouti - During his official visit to Djibouti, the FAO Director-General held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mohamed Ahmed Awaleh, Minister of Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, Livestock and Fisheries Resources.

The Minister welcomed the Director-General’s visit to Djibouti and provided an overview of ongoing projects implemented with FAO. In particular, the Minister referred to the Investment Plan already validated, as well as the Hand-in-Hand initiative presented at the World Food Forum 2025, covering four priorities value chains: market gardening, aquaculture, date palm, and meat (slaughterhouse/livestock value chain). The Minister also highlighted the donors’ roundtable planned for February 2026, aimed at mobilizing financing.

The Director-General thanked the Minister for the invitation and hospitality and highlighted the central role played by the Ministry of Agriculture in FAO’s collaboration with Djibouti stating that it served as the main gateway for the partnership. The Director-General reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to support resource mobilization for the initiatives led by the Ministry of Agriculture and also referred to the major projects financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) with the involvement of FAO’s Investment Centre.

During his official visit to the country, the Director-General also met with H.E. Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Government Spokesperson, during which the Minister reaffirmed the Government of Djibouti’s recognition of FAO as a strategic and longstanding partner and noted that the tangible outcomes of FAO’s support had contributed significantly to strengthening the resilience of rural communities. The Minister further underscored the importance of the Hand-in-Hand Initiative for the country, emphasizing its alignment with national development priorities.

The Director-General congratulated Djibouti on the election of the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, as Chairperson of the African Union Commission, an achievement that reflected Djibouti’s growing leadership on the continent. Acknowledging Djibouti’s strategic position in the region, the Director-General reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to expand its engagement and investments in the country, channeled through the FAO Investment Centre.

In this regard, the Director-General welcomed the initiative to construct a modern slaughterhouse, noting that local meat processing, rather than the export of live animals would enhance value addition and contribute meaningfully to the national economy.

In his meeting with H.E. Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, Minister of Finance and Economy, the pair discussed the central role of the Ministry of Finance and Economy in the implementation of Djibouti’s national investment plan. He highlighted the ambition to position Djibouti as a regional economic hub and emphasized FAO’s readiness to support national priorities aligned with this vision.

The Minister of Finance and Economy, sharing this strategic perspective, acknowledged the significant contribution of FAO in advancing Djibouti’s efforts toward food security and resilience. He welcomed the ongoing partnership and emphasized the importance of continued support to help Djibouti move toward greater self-sufficiency.

During the bilateral meeting with H.E Mohamed Abdoulkader Moussa Helem, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Director-General commended the ongoing cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, particularly in relation to projects financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

The Director-General also expressed his ambition to support the Government in designing programmes aimed at reducing agricultural input and labour requirements, while increasing production, as well as creating a new economic zone. He underscored that this work, undertaken in close partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, would contribute to transforming Djibouti’s agrifood system.

The Minister expressed his full agreement with the proposed initiative and confirmed his readiness to work in close collaboration with FAO to advance its implementation.