FAO statement at the 22nd Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues - Agenda item 4

2023 UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 

 Item 4: Discussion on the six mandated areas of the Permanent Forum (economic and social development, culture, environment, education, health and human rights), with reference to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Statement delivered byYon Fernandez- de-Larrinoa, Head of the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit

Distinguished Chair and Experts of the permanent forum,

Honourable Elders, Indigenous leaders and countries representatives,

FAO would like to congratulate the new experts of the Forum and Dario Mejia Montalvo as Chair for this session

FAO is committed to the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the  UN SWAP.

The words by Secretary General Guterres at the opening session reaffirmed our commitment to continue working with Indigenous Peoples.

Since 2014 we have been putting in fast track the Forum recommendations to our agency. Let me highlight some of them:

In 2017 the recommendation to organize an Indigenous Youth Forum became a reality in 2021.

FAO is happy to announce that with the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus, Sami people and the World Reindeer Herders Association we will host the second session of the UN Indigenous Youth Forum in October in Rome.

This is the only Indigenous Forum that FAO hosts with the objective of complementing IFAD´s Indigenous forum also in Rome.

Last year, the UNFPII recommended FAO and WHO to amend the Code of Conduct on pesticides affecting Indigenous Peoples. The work has started and We invite Indigenous experts to join WHO, PAHO and FAO in the work.

FAO takes this opportunity to thank rapporteurs on indigenous peoples, rapporteur on toxics and rights; and the Forum Chair, as well as the IITC for their key interventions to open the process of amendment of the Code of Conduct on Pesticides.

Lastly, the UNPFII recommended FAO after the  White/Wiphala paper, to continue work on Indigenous Peoples food systems.

In March this year, the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples Food systems met in Rome. More than 90 indigenous peoples and experts discussed on Indigenous food systems.

FAO is very pleased to announce that 5 different drafting committees were agreed with indigenous researchers collaborating in key publications.

This work is fundamental to support the new Coalition on Indigenous Peoples food systems is starting.

This Coalition, after completing 7 regional consultations processes with Indigenous Peoples and deciding with them the steering committee, is now starting its work with seven countries.

FAO working together with UNESCO; UNEP; WFP, IFAD makes a call to more indigenous organizations and other countries to join the work.

FAO would like to thank Kenya for their decision to host in the next months the High Level Expert Seminar on Indigenous Peoples food systems in Africa.

FAO thanks Mexico, Dominican Republic, Spain, Finland, New Zealand and Canada for their support to the Coalition on Indigenous Peoples food systems.

FAO thanks Norway for their support to the Coalition but very specially for their support to the upcoming UN Indigenous Youth Forum in October 2023 in Rome

FAO would like to thank the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus for their constant collaboration with FAO since 2017. We have a lot of work to do together and we look forward to gathering more than 100 Indigenous Youth from the 7 socio cultural regions in Rome this year.

In closing, you can count with FAO support, dedication and work to work alongside Indigenous Peoples.

I thank you for your attention.