Official Statement from the Italian Government
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, visited FAO today, where he met Director General Qu Dongyu.
During the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed the Italian Government’s full support for the Agency and the UN Food and Agriculture Cluster hosted in Rome (FAO, IFAD, WFP), the third largest in the world after New York and Geneva.
Food Security and Agricultural Sustainability
Italy boasts one of the most important food supply chains in the world and is home to the Mediterranean Diet, which is scientifically recognized as one of the healthiest in the world. For this reason, too, the Government considers food security and agricultural sustainability as a priority interest of Italian foreign policy.
The Government’s efforts in this area have given rise to a veritable food diplomacy, which has been particularly developed in recent years also thanks to the technical collaboration of FAO.
In this regard, Deputy Prime Minister Tajani thanked Director General Qu for his support in organizing the Mediterranean Ministerial Dialogue on the Food Security Crisis within the 2022 G7 framework.
The last session of the Dialogue, which was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tajani last December, saw the involvement of all the countries of the Mediterranean basin to find medium to long-term responses to the food crisis that has hit the area due to the war in Ukraine.
Deputy Prime Minister Tajani and Director General Qu agreed to further strengthen cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and FAO, also in view of Italy’s G7 Presidency in 2024.
About the Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is an intergovernmental organization that works to improve global food security, promote rural development, and combat poverty.
It was founded in 1945 as part of the United Nations system, to eradicate hunger and malnutrition in the world.
The FAO has 194 member countries and maintains regional offices in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia, and the Middle East. Its headquarters is based in Rome, Italy. The FAO’s main objectives are to collect information on food production, quality control standards for food products, and nutrition education programs as well as provide technical advice to its members regarding agricultural policies.
It also helps developing countries invest in agricultural infrastructure such as irrigation systems or crop research projects that increase yields while improving environmental sustainability.
About Deputy Prime Minister Tajani
Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani is Italy’s most influential politician. As a leader of the center-right Forza Italia party, he has held many prominent positions in Italian politics since the late 1990s.
He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs in February 2021, responsible for driving forward Italy’s efforts to strengthen its relationship with the European Union.
Before he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Tajani served as President of the European Parliament from January 2017 to January 2020. During this time, he played an important role in shaping EU policy on Brexit and other contentious issues such as migration, trade, and security.
He also advocated strongly for closer ties between member states, and stronger enforcement of existing laws and reforms that helped make the EU more efficient and effective.
Conclusion:
It is clear that Deputy Prime Minister Tajani and Director General Qu are committed to strengthening cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and FAO in order to ensure food security and agricultural sustainability.
This will be especially important as Italy prepares for its 2024 G7 Presidency, which could provide an opportunity for further advancing these goals.
Furthermore, with Mr. Tajani’s wealth of experience in European politics, he brings a unique perspective on how best to tackle global issues such as hunger and malnutrition through international collaboration.
As this dialogue continues, we can only hope that it leads to tangible solutions that benefit all involved parties while creating a more secure future for generations to come.
Sources: THX News & The Italian Government.
