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Monaco participates in the 41st session of the Food and Agriculture Organization Conference

27 June 2019, Rome Italy - Mr Gustafson and Mrs. Rosa Brunetto, Director General, Department for External Relations and Cooperation, Monaco. Signing Ceremony: Support for the reduction of food loss and waste in date, apple and fig value chains in the oasis ecosystems in Morocco FAO Headquarters, (Espace Gabon).
A Monegasque delegation, composed of Mr. Robert Fillon, Ambassador in Italy and Permanent Representative of Monaco to FAO, Mrs. Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General of the Department of External Relations and Cooperation, and Elodie Martin, Program Manager at the Directorate of International Cooperation, participated in the 41st session of the Conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It was held in Rome, at the headquarters of the Organization from June 22 to June 28, 2019.

This meeting saw the election of Qu Dongyu as Director-General for a period of 4 years, with 108 votes, compared to 71 for the French candidate supported by the European Union, Catherine Geslin Lanéelle.

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The work of the Conference was devoted to high-level interventions (Heads of Government or Ministers) on the state of food and agriculture in their respective countries, as well as the status of their cooperation with Food and Agriculture Organization.

The member states approved the Organization’s Budget and Work programme prepared by the current Director-General, José Graziano da Silva. They express a policy aimed at controlling the food chain, avoiding the excessive industrialization of agricultural production in developing countries and favouring practices geared towards sustainable development and respectful of the objectives set by the United Nations.

As a reminder, the Principality of Monaco has been a member of this UN organization since 200. For the first time, Monaco became a member of the Food and Agriculture OrganizationCouncil as from 1 July 2019, for 4 years.

On the margins of the 41st Food and Agriculture Organization Conference, Ms. Isabelle Rosabrunetto and Mr. Daniel Gustafson, FAO Deputy Director-General Programs, proceeded, in the presence of representatives of the Moroccan Government, to sign the financing agreement for the project support for the reduction of food losses and wastes (AMPs) for the dates, apples and figs sectors in the oasis systems of Morocco.

At least a third of the food produced annually worldwide is either lost or wasted. The issue of AMPs has become fundamental to the international agenda because of their economic, social and environmental impacts. During the special audience granted to the delegates of the 41st Session of the FAO Conference, Pope Francis himself recalled the necessary duty of social responsibility and the need for increased awareness of this problem.

The main objective of this 3-year project is the reduction of 15% of agricultural losses in the dates, apples and figs sectors in the Tata, Tinghir, Figuig and Imlchil-Amellago areas. As well as the sustainable management of the natural resources of these regions. It is also part of the Decade on Family Farming launched in May 2019 by FAO. It concretely illustrates the commitment of the Government of Monaco alongside FAO to respond to the challenges of food security. This signature comes on the eve of Monaco’s entry into the Council of this same FAO.