A global response against hungerby Beth Bechdol, FAO Deputy Director-GeneralWithin only six months, COVID-19 has reached every part of the world, pushing millions of people into hunger. But hunger was already increasing before the pandemic. In 2019, nearly one in ten people around the world went hungry.The onset of COVID-19 has attested...

During the month of November, the FAO Liaison Office to the United Nations attended the first of a series of coordination meetings with UN entities. These meetings are meant to strengthen FAO's strategic partnership with the UN Sustainable Development Group, improving coordination and supporting delivery on the ground. On 24...

Every year, hundreds of thousands of students from all educational levels around the world enrol in the Model United Nations (MUN), a simulation that allows them to learn more about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations (UN). On 19 November 2020, FAO Senior Adviser Kostas Stamoulis presented the UN’s...

On 12 November, FAO attended the Eleventh Inter-Agency Consultative Group (IACG) Meeting on the Follow-up and Implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action (VPoA) for Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) which was held virtually. The meeting was organized by the United Nations Office of the High-Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked...

On 12 November 2020, the Group of Friends of Food Security and Nutrition in New York met virtually to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and the preparations of the 2021 Food Systems Summit (FSS). This was the fourth meeting of the Group during 2020 and open to the participation of the entire UN...

For today's interview, we speak to Carla Mucavi, Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York.What attracted you to the work of the Rome-based Agencies when you first decided to make the jump from government official and ambassador to UN officer? My eight-year tenure as Permanent...

FAO’s 75th Anniversary by Daniel Gustafson, Special Representative of FAO's Director-General   Any institution that has been around for 75 years, has a lot of stories to tell. That is definitely true for FAO but, at this distance, the stories about the early years are not so well known. A big milestone, like this...

Food is essential for life. This simple statement has seldom resonated with so many as on this World Food Day 2020, when hundreds are dealing with the widespread effects of COVID-19.World Food Day 2020 also marks FAO’s 75th anniversary. The organization was founded during the post World War II reconstruction...

The Director of FAO’s Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York, Carla Mucavi, delivered a statement on behalf of FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the World Food Programme, during the Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) deliberations on the Secretary-General’s Agriculture development, food security and nutrition report. ...

The Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) of the 75th UN General Assembly convened to discuss the Secretary-General’s report on Agriculture development, food security and nutrition. Following the introduction of the report, the Director of FAO’s Food Systems and Food Safety Division and Lead on Knowledge and Policy for...

FAO introduced the UN Secretary-General’s report on the eradication of rural poverty to the Member States of the Second Committee, on the occasion of the 75th UN General Assembly Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee). The report was welcomed by all participating Member States. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 74/237,...

Rome-based UN agencies' governing bodies focus on joint programmes, COVID-19 response and UN Food Systems Summit 2021

FAO engagement in the coordination efforts for the upcoming 2021 Financing for Sustainable Development Report (FSDR) remains strong. On 9 October 2020, the FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu, and Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol, participated in the Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for Development, chaired by UN-DESA Under-Secretary General, Liu Zhenmin, where...

In 2020, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) marks 75 years of presence in the United Nations General Assembly forums. Against the backdrop of COVID-19, this year’s session (UNGA75) relied on technology and the upkeep of physical distancing measures to drive home the value of collective...

We live in a world where there’s enough food to feed all people everywhere; yet 690 million go hungry and another three billion people cannot afford a healthy diet. At the core of this conundrum lies the issue of food loss and waste, which the UN has brought to the...

Should I scrape leftovers into the bin or use them as ingredients for tomorrow’s meal? Did I check my fridge before going grocery shopping to avoid overbuying? Are odd-shaped fruit and vegetables good to eat? Every day we are faced with choices that can take a significant and unnecessary toll on...

President Xi Jinping announced the funding in video address to the UN General Assembly 22 September 2020, Rome - FAO welcomed an announcement today by Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, that his country will support the UN agency's South-South Cooperation (SSC) efforts with an additional $50 million in funding. "We are...

17 September 2020, New York/ Rome -  FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, today warned the United Nations Security Council that Burkina Faso, South Sudan and Yemen were at risk of a looming famine and appealed for an urgent and united humanitarian response to save lives and livelihoods. "Tragically, there are many more situations...

The 75th session will be held from 15 September to 2 October 2020. The overall theme is 75th anniversary of the United Nations ­–  The future we want, the UN we need: Reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism. FAO will participate at high level meetings and is organizing side events on: - the Global Network...

An Opportunity for Transformation by Fekitamoeloa Katoa 'Utoikamanu, United Nations High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States   There is a saying, “May you live in interesting times.” As 2020 continues its weary path around the sun, we can all agree that when times get too interesting,...