The Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) of the UN General Assembly concluded its 74th session today. At this session, the committee adopted over 40 resolutions, including on Sustainable mountain development; Agriculture development, food security and nutrition; Agricultural technology for sustainable development; International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and...

FAO is taking a stand against sexual and gender-based violence by participating in the UN Secretary-General’s campaign: UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women. On 25 November, FAO attended the official commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women at the UN Headquarters in...

On 14 November, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu visited the United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ) to have a series of bilateral meetings on the state of food insecurity, rural poverty and agricultural sustainability around the world.Qu began his day by participating in a meeting with the Principals of the United Nations Sustainable...

On 31 October, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) co-hosted a high-level event on “Renewing efforts to address rural poverty to meet SDG1 by 2030”. Held in the United Nations (UN) Headquarters, the event supported ongoing discussions in...

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres, announced his intention to convene a food systems summit, in his video message to the 2019 World Food Day. “Transforming food systems is crucial for delivering all the Sustainable Development Goals. That is why I hope to convene a Food Systems...

In talks today with Tandi Dorji, Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu discussed ways in which the country can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through the agriculture sectors. During their meeting on the sidelines of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Dorji noted...

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu today briefed the President of Namibia Hage Gottfried Geingob on FAO’s new Hand-In-Hand Initiative during a meeting on the side-lines of the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly. Geingob noted how his country faces major challenges related to climate change like drought and flooding that impact...

Food security and nutrition must be a priority in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which can count on FAO's support in taking "better coordinated and more coherent actions" towards that goal, Director-General Qu Dongyu said on Friday. Climate change, vulnerability, resilience, disaster risk reduction, isolation, insufficient land resources and dietary changes that...

During their meeting today Paraguay’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Rivas said his country fully supported FAO Director-General’s vision for the UN agency and expressed great interest in FAO’s new Hand-In-Hand Initiative. Rivas said that Paraguay aims to develop its agro-business sector including exploring initiatives that are aimed at creating employment...

FAO Director-General and Alejandro Ferrer Minister of Foreign Affairs for Panama met today in talks that focused on strengthening cooperation. During their meeting on the side-lines of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Ferrer outlined initiatives in his country based on local agricultural production to supply school-feeding schemes. This is...

In talks today FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu and Cristiana Pașca Palmer, the Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, agreed that efforts to safeguard the planet’s biodiversity must be rooted in science. Pașca Palmer described FAO as an excellent partner and noted the agency’s contribution to shaping...

Technology magnate and philanthropist Bill Gates today emphasized his support for FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu by meeting him at FAO’s Liaison Office in New York. During their discussion, the FAO Director-General briefed Gates on his vision for FAO and the UN agency’s new Hand-In-Hand Initiative which prioritizes targeted work that benefits...

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their partnership towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The agreement renews a long-standing formal collaboration between the two UN agencies and was signed today in New York by...

Having Member States’ support and buy-in is paramount to FAO successfully rolling out new initiatives, such as the new Hand-in-Hand Initiative, to help accelerate achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals - especially ending poverty and hunger - and not leaving anyone behind. This was FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu’s message to the UN agency’s Member...

Transforming food and nutrition systems is central to achieving the 2030 Agenda, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said today at a Leaders' Dialogue on the Sustainable Development Goals as part of the 74th UN General Assembly. One of the most urgent areas for action in order to leave no one behind is to pursue targeted...

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu and USAID Administrator Mark Green met today in talks that focused on cooperation between the two organizations. Green said he looked forward to working closely with Qu, and said that USAID wants to see a strong, vibrant and accountable FAO succeed in its mission. Qu said he fully...

Food systems are huge economic, social and environmental drivers of transformational change, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyusaid  today. Turning them into accelerators of progress on the SDGs is essential to achieving several core objectives of the 2030 Agenda, including ending extreme poverty, addressing hunger an all forms of malnutrition, protecting and...

President of Hungary János Áder has congratulated FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu for taking office, while noting the important issues FAO needs to help countries address, including the depletion of natural resources which is critical for the development of agriculture. Áder noted that his country, like many others, is losing both forests...

President Sebastián Piñera of Chile and FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu met today for talks that focused on the need for people to have access to a choice of nutritious food. During their meeting on the margins of the UN General Assembly, President Piñera explained how Chile’s food labelling law, which entered...

The Kingdom of the Netherlands has contributed $28 million to back FAO's work to boost the resilience of food systems in Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan - part of a new initiative to scale-up resilience-based development work in countries affected by protracted crises. In such contexts, humanitarian interventions often focus on...