Italy and FAO for joint efforts to end hunger

Rome, Aug 5 (IANS/AKI) Italy's Premier Giuseppe Conte and FAO's new chief, Qu Dongyu on Monday voiced their support for the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's special relationship with its host country and joint efforts towards wiping out hunger and malnutrition, FAO said in a statement.

At a meeting with Qu at the Prime Minister's office here, Conte reaffirmed Italy's strategic partnership with FAO and agreed to visit the agency's headquarters "soon", the statement said.

For his part, Qu stressed the importance of Italy's collaboration with FAO, especially in achieving zero hunger and malnutrition, as well as the UN's Sustainable Development goals.

He also underscored his desire to build on FAO's strategic partnership with Italy during his four-year mandate, which began on August 1.

Qu welcomed Italy's growing commitment to support FAO financially in several key areas, such as nutrition, migration and healthy diets, as well as joint efforts to ensure access to adequate food, especially in Africa.

Italy ranks as one of FAO's largest resource partners, the statement noted.

Italy's Presidency of the G-20 in 2021 will offer an excellent opportunity to promote initiatives stemming from FAO's mandate, Qu said.

FAO will keep working with the other UN agencies headquartered in Rome - the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Food Programme - on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to reinforce the UN food hub in Rome, according to the statement.

FAO intends to cooperate with the IFAD and the WFP to organise a UN Summit on Food Systems in 2021, Qu told Conte.