Countries unite in the fight for better food and nutrition

FAO and its Member Countries ensure the current issues of food security, nutrition, and rural poverty is on the agenda of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, ongoing this week in New York. For Europe and Central Asia, the forthcoming FAO’s Regional Conference will give an additional platform for discussion and search for solutions in early November.

Countering the root causes of food security and malnutrition globally and specifically in the countries of Europe and Central Asia, as well as factors impeding development of rural areas, calls for urgent concerted actions.

As the host country of the Thirty-second Session European Regional Conference (2–4 November), Uzbekistan is among the countries that support this notion in the region and at global level alike. The Conference will enable participants to discuss sustainable food systems and healthy diets in Europe and Central Asia, as well as how to improve prospects for rural youth, employment and development, including a situation analysis of smallholders and family farms, through reviewing strategies that can potentially foster the revitalization of rural areas in the region.

To underpin the country’s commitment, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed their support to the UN 2021 Food Systems Summit in his speech at the General Assembly. According to Uzbekistan, the Summit can radically change how our food is produced, processed and consumed, for a more sustainable and inclusive future.

Mirziyoyev advocated for increased attention to global hunger and poverty, which has become especially acute during the pandemic, and to unite global efforts in the fight against these challenges central to the mandate of FAO.

The UN General Assembly, running from 22 to 29 September, as well as FAO’s European Regional Conference, are held in a virtual format.

23 September 2020, New York, USA