Xinhua2022:04:04.09:18
BUENOS AIRES, April 3 (Xinhua) — Argentine President Alberto Fernández on Sunday stressed the importance of “fairer, more transparent and predictable open trade” to “ensure and support world food security,” when he became the director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Qu Dongyu.
Fernández received the Director-General of the FAO in audience at the Olivos headquarters on the northern outskirts of Buenos Aires, with whom he analyzed the impact of rising food prices around the world.
The South American country’s presidency reported in a statement that Fernández also agreed with Qu Dongyu that “a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine must be achieved.”
Fernández stated during the meeting that “Argentina is ready to continue playing a central role in the face of the challenges that the international context poses”.
“Open, fair, transparent and accountable trade plays a vital role in ensuring and supporting global food security,” said the President.
Fernández stressed that Argentina and the Cairns Group countries, agricultural exporting nations aiming to liberalize international agri-food trade, will continue their claim before the World Trade Organization (WTO) on subsidies and market access.
He also thanked Qu Dongyu for his support of Argentina’s plan against hunger, as well as for helping approve the outcomes-based payment project signed by the Green Climate Fund last year.
The project involves an $82 million investment for the South American country that will be used to protect 39 million hectares of native forest.
The President was accompanied at the meeting by Argentina’s Foreign Minister, Santiago Cafiero, who, together with FAO Deputy Ad Interim Representative in Argentina, Tito Díaz Muñoz, signed the country program for the period 2022-2025.
According to official information, this instrument will function as a cooperation and strategic planning instrument for the implementation of various measures as well as the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations (UN).
The initiative also envisages the involvement of various Argentine ministries with the aim of contributing to the realization of more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems in order to achieve better production, nutrition, environment and quality of life.
(Web Editor: Zhao Jian, 周雨)