Home ›› 09 Mar 2022 ›› Front
The Russia-Ukraine war has made commodity markets volatile across the world, but it is not an agenda at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s 36th Conference for Asia and Pacific Region.
Hosted by Bangladesh for the first time, the four-day conference began on Tuesday in Dhaka’s Hotel Intercontinental, where FAO Country Representative Robert Douglas Simpson and agriculture ministry’s Additional Secretary Md Hasanuzzaman Kallol briefed the press.
Replying to a reporter’s question about Ukraine-Russia war’s impact on the commodity market, Simpson said, “A direct answer, there is no specific agenda about this war.
“Different issues that impact the food system and food security, including climate change, force migration due to impacts caused by humans, will be discussed in the conference. We will also discuss ways to make our food system more resilient to the different shocks and externalities.”
Commenting on outcome of this conference, Simpson said, “The delegations are talking about moves for the future. What we want to do in next two years will come out from this conference.”
Meanwhile, agriculture ministry’s Additional Secretary Md Hasanuzzaman Kallol said the number of participants in this iteration of the FAO regional conference is highest in the history, and 885 people have registered for participation in this event.
Earlier in the day, addressing the inauguration ceremony, FAO Assistant Director General Jong Jin Kim said four issues will be prioritised in the conference to boost regional cooperation.
“Agriculture and food system sustainability, biodiversity protection, sustainable use of natural resources and climate resilience food system will get priority in this conference, for better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life,” he said.
Delegations from 8 nations attending in-person
FAO Country Representative Robert Douglas Simpson said, “Delegations from eight countries are participating in-person and the delegations from 35 countries are joining virtually.
“Delegations from Nepal, Maldives, Leo PDR, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Mongolia are attending in person. This is a very difficult time. Everything, even businesses to everyday lives to agriculture, all has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.”
FAO Assistant Director General Jong Jin Kim said, “For the first time, the conference is being organised in a hybrid form [both in-person and virtually]. Covid-19 pandemic is with and around us, but we are slowly recovering from it, which is a good sign.”
The conference will end on March 11. Senior officials from governments in the region will hot discussion in the first two days, and ministerial-level meetings will be held in the remaining two days.
