Ambassador Matthew Wilson offered his credentials to the UN Meals and Agriculture Group (FAO) Director Basic, Qu Dongyu, in Rome, at present.
Ambassador Wilson, who can be Barbados’ Everlasting Consultant to the World Commerce Organisation (WTO), United Nations in Geneva and Vienna, and different Worldwide Organisations in Geneva, congratulated Director Basic Dongyu on his latest re-election and pledged Barbados’s continued assist and partnership.
Throughout their assembly, some essential points had been coated, together with the significance of the assist from FAO and its regional workplace in Barbados; the continuing trilateral partnership with the International Atmosphere Facility; and the necessity to operationalise the Caribbean regional workplace’s letter of intent with the CARICOM Personal Sector Organisation.
“The work that FAO undertakes in Barbados and the area is of essential significance. The local weather disaster is remodeling the best way we produce, eat and commerce and we’d like revolutionary investments and incentives to assist our agriculture and industrial sectors embrace the round economic system. FAO is certainly one of our frontier companions on this,” Ambassador Wilson acknowledged.
Director Basic Dongyu highlighted the essential focus that FAO is giving to small island growing states, and counseled Barbados and Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley for the advocacy round local weather change, whereas additionally recognising the significance of Barbados investing in its indigenous agriculture and meals trade.
Ambassador Wilson knowledgeable that consultations with the fisherfolk neighborhood had been ongoing across the ratification of part one of many Fisheries Settlement and that Barbados was eager to profit from assist in upgrading its fisheries administration methods.
Different matters mentioned had been climate-smart agriculture; water administration; addressing soil conservation; and dealing with Barbados on the blue economic system, particularly in upgrading the fisheries sector.
The 2 representatives additionally spoke in regards to the fisheries subsidies’ negotiations ongoing on the World Commerce Group and the essential position that FAO is taking part in as a lead associate within the newly established Fisheries Funding Mechanism Belief Fund.
On meals safety points, the Ambassador highlighted the significance of FAO assist in making certain the CARICOM’s 25 by 2025 initiative was realised. This initiative is aimed toward decreasing the area’s meals import invoice by 25 per cent by 2025.
Along with addressing meals insecurity, he stated there was additionally a have to concentrate on the kinds of meals being grown and imported, given the excessive incidence of non-communicable ailments within the area.
Ambassador Wilson additionally offered Director Basic Dongyu with a brand new flag of Barbados to hoist exterior the FAO headquarters.
Since 1978, FAO has been an essential associate in Barbados’ drive to attain its agricultural and marine improvement priorities, together with pure useful resource administration and local weather change adaptation.
