20 January 2024, Rome: Today the FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, and H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, met at FAO headquarters to discuss ways to further enhance collaboration between the Organization and Kazakhstan.
The President noted that he attaches particular attention to FAO’s agenda. He stated that the matter of food shortage occupies a big place in the world’s global agenda and Kazakhstan is making efforts towards resolving this issue. Kazakhstan is among the world’s largest producers of grain and wheat and the country is committed to working closely with FAO to address food insecurity. The President emphasized that science and innovation are essential for agricultural development and reaffirmed the country’s support to the Director-General’s vision to renew and modernize the Organization.
The Director-General in turn confirmed FAO’s readiness to further strengthen the partnership with Kazakhstan. He noted that the additional funds allocated to FAO, as well as the Organization’s technical capacity to attract external funding for the FAO-Kazakhstan Partnership Programme would help raise the level of collaboration. The Director-General also noted that FAO is committed to work directly with several institutions based in the country, noting in particular the Islamic Organization for Food Security with whom FAO has discussed an action plan based on the Hand-in-Hand Initiative.
The pair committed to continue working together towards the transformation of agrifood systems and in strengthening joint collaboration of pressing global challenges related to food and agriculture.
