FAO welcomes commitment to fight hunger from the Community of Portuguese Language Countries
23 July 2014, Dili, Timor-Leste – The Tenth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) ended today in Dili, Timor-Leste, and placed food and nutrition security at the centre of the bloc's agenda.
Speaking at the opening of the summit, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva congratulated the leaders for this decision and reiterated the Organization's commitment to consolidate the food and nutrition security projects in the CPLP.
The initiatives that have been developed by FAO include supporting the design and implementation of the Regional Strategy for Food and Nutrition Security (ESAN-CPLP); strengthening public institutions; support to the implementation of National Councils of Food and Nutrition Security and the participation of civil society in the fight against hunger; a diagnosis of the state of family farming and food security; and the launch of the “Together Against Hunger” campaign that aims to raise not only funds for the implementation of food security projects in the CPLP but also awareness of the importance and possibility of guaranteeing the right to food for all.
Investments using FAO's own funds or those received directly by the Organization to implement projects in Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe and Timor-Leste reached $14 million in 2013 and almost $10 million in the first semester of 2014.
Dili Declaration: support to FAO
After the summit, CPLP heads of state and government approved the Dili Declaration, which among other things highlighted the need to eradicate hunger and poverty in the CPLP and placed food and nutrition security as a permanent issue on the agendas of the presidencies of the CPLP and of the Summits of Heads of State and Government until 2025.
The Dili Declaration also looked at different aspects of FAO’s work: the signing of a technical cooperation agreement with the CPLP; the framework of cooperation for the eradication of hunger and poverty in the Member States; the promotion of activities carried out within the framework of 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming; and the organization of the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2), to be held next November in Rome as an opportunity for strengthening healthy food and nutrition as a public issue.
"On the way to building the world without hunger that we want, I appreciate the support of this community to the proposals I have made as Director-General of the Organization," said Graziano da Silva in his speech.
In Dili, Graziano da Silva also made his first official visit to Timor-Leste. During the visit, Graziano da Silva participated in the launch of the national action plan to eradicate hunger and malnutrition. The plan is a response to the call made by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon under the Zero Hunger Challenge, which was developed with the support of FAO.
Graziano da Silva also met with Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão and other national authorities.
About the CPLP
Established in 1996, the CPLP's main objective is to disseminate the Portuguese language and promote political and diplomatic consultation in several areas. It is comprised of nine countries: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe and Timor-Leste. Equatorial Guinea's accession as a Member State of the CPLP was approved during the Dili Summit.
