FAO and the Libyan Government of National Unity discuss ways to support and develop agriculture and food security in Libya

AbdulHakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, today received a high-level Libyan delegation headed by Hussein Al-Qatrani, Libyan First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, to discuss the activation of the scientific and technical cooperation agreement between the two sides.

The talks dealt with ways through which FAO can contribute to Libya’s national priorities concerning rural development and food security, and the reactivation of the unilateral trust fund program in Libya. They also focused on several other priorities, including the development of a strategic plan for national food security based on what was agreed upon at the meeting of the Supreme Committee for Food Security Strategy.

The food security strategy in Libya featured on the National Unity Government’s 2023 agenda, with the Council of Ministers drafting a resolution calling, among other things, for the establishment of a National Committee on Food Security and the development of a National Strategy for Food Security to reduce dependence on food imports. The United Nations team in Libya was invited to coordinate to effectively support the food security strategy within the framework of the partnership program between the United Nations and the Libyan National Unity Government.

"We will work to strengthen cooperation with FAO in order to find ways to develop the agricultural and livestock sector and achieve the objectives of Libya’s food security strategy, benefitting from all available resources,” said Mr. Al-Qatrani.

He added that a technical working group will be formed to develop a road map to implement the scientific and technical cooperation agreement between the Libyan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and the Food and Agriculture Organization, and that every possible effort will be made to remove any obstacle to the implementation of the agreement, which helps achieve the sustainable development goals for future generations.

For his part, Mr. Elwaer stressed the need to revise all policies related to food and agricultural security in Libya, noting opportunities to benefit from the experiences of other countries. He also called for revising strategies in light of the current challenges, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Co-led by FAO and the World Food Program, the UN organizations concerned with food security in Libya also include UNICEF. Other agencies will be invited as necessary.

A meeting will be held in Tunis on 26 June to discuss the framework of the food security strategy and support the UN food security task force.

The delegation accompanying the Libyan minister included Ambassador in Cairo Mohamed Abdel-Aali, the ministry’s undersecretary for agricultural reclamation affairs Mohamed Bashir Al-Turki, the chairman of the experts group committee in the ministry Dr. Abu Bakr Al-Mansouri, and a number of other ministry officials.