UZBEKISTAN LLDCs International Forum on Food Security and the SDGs Closing Remarks

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to commend the Government of Uzbekistan for their generous hospitality, and also for the efficient cooperation with FAO, and other partners, as well as for their valuable and active role in promoting agrifood systems transformation in LLDCs, and beyond, in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals.

I was so delighted when I heard the UN Under Secretary-General’s proposal on the need to take action after the Summit, and on the strengthening of the Evaluation and Innovation Hub and for asking FAO to take the leading role.

So I wish to officially and positively answer yes we are ready to go!

Together with Members, and other partners, we will play our role as a UN Specialized Agency and we will follow the direction of the UN Secretary General and the Under Secretary-General and offer the professional solutions needed.

That is UN solidarity. That is the one big family of the UN. Working together with Members in complementarity.

Further to the successful outcomes of our meeting in Samarkand in September 2023, the key recommendations arising from those discussion were included in the Samarkand Declaration, which emphasized the critical need for enhanced collaborative efforts.

I hope this is just a step, a first step, forward towards strengthening LLDCs on food security and the SDGs. Because we need to focus, to reinforce, we need more deliverable solidarity and outcomes.  Solidarity is not only emotional or psychological, we need deliver solidarity on the ground.

We need to convince our farmers and consumers that we as the UN are an important partner who can work together and closely with Members.

The Vienna Programme of Action for the LLDCs was adopted at the Second UN Conference on LLDCs in 2014, aiming to eradicate poverty by implementing targeted actions across six priorities.

I wish to emphasize that there are six priority areas that still need to be implemented more and better.

LLDCs possess immense untapped potential that we need to explore and harness to ensure an effective transformation of agrifood systems in these countries.

I am quite optimistic about this, of course, because I come from a small village. If you are not optimistic, you are already left behind by yourself.

Any LLDC country, especially the Ministers: the Minister of Treasury, the Minister of Livestock and Fishery - you name it, we should be more optimistic. Of course, we have a lot of challenges ahead of us, but we should be ready to help and assist the people who depend on us.

As we stand here, reflecting on the journey of LLDCs and the complex challenges they continue to face, let us seize this unique opportunity as a stepping-stone towards this transformation.

To further guide our efforts towards building resilience and fostering sustainable development in preparation for LLDC3 in Botswana in a few months.

Several important recommendations and key areas of work have already emerged from our discussions today.

The thematic sessions not only captured lessons learned, but also sparked innovative ideas for future implementation.

In addition, the side events offered the opportunity to showcase current initiatives contributing to agrifood system transformation, and to reflect on the way forward to scale them up to ensure food security and access to healthy diets for all.

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

This Forum has demonstrated the strong collective commitment of LLDCs.

The adoption of the Tashkent Declaration on the Sustainable Transformation of Agrifood Systems in LLLDCs will inspire further collective and innovative action and pave the way for fruitful collaboration with tangible results at local, regional and global levels.

We need to all start working immediately on these recommendations before we reconvene in December at LLDC3.

But we need to remember that their effective implementation will depend on mobilizing increased financing and more targeted investments, tailored to the actual needs of LLDCs.

Tomorrow’s Partnership and Investment Forum organized by Uzbekistan offers an excellent opportunity to promote concrete action, facilitate matchmaking and foster collaboration for business development among key actors involved in the agriculture sector of LLDCs.

Smallholders and family farmers are indeed essential players in driving, adapting and implementing new practices, innovations or technologies for the benefit of the entire population.

We must ensure that they have access to the necessary knowledge, tools and resources to respond effectively and promptly to the multiple challenges they are confronted with.

Let us continue to work together. You can continue to count on FAO’s support to keep agrifood system transformation at the top of the LLDCs agendas, to accelerate rural development and eradicate hunger and poverty.

Let us walk the talk!

Thank you.