Qatar Participates in "Global Food Security Call to Action" Ministerial Conference

New York, May 19 (QNA) - The State of Qatar participated in the "Global Food Security Call to Action" Ministerial Conference in New York, which was called upon by the United States during its presidency of the UN Security Council this May.
The State of Qatar's delegation participating in the conference was headed by HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi.
In the State of Qatar's speech at the conference, HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs explained that the Covid-19 pandemic, climate crises and the conflict in Ukraine exacerbate the global food crisis and threaten the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, noting that the State of Qatar focuses on providing support that covers the relationship between the human side, sustainable development and peace.
Regarding the provision of funds for humanitarian food assistance, His Excellency said that in November 2021, the State of Qatar has signed an agreement with the World Food Programme (WFP) for a contribution of $90 million to help meet urgent food security needs in Yemen, where conflict, economic decline and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic are putting millions in danger of slipping into famine.
HE believed that assistance should be provided to building long-term resilience to such shocks in the least developed and low-income countries.
His Excellency pointed out that in March, the State of Qatar established a strategic partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation worth $200 million, which will be dedicated towards agriculture, climate resilience and economic development projects in drylands on the Africa, and will seek to prevent millions of people from falling into poverty and hunger.
HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs underlined that the State of Qatar and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) signed in November 2021 a partnership to help launch major development projects in vulnerable rural communities focusing on long-term food security, climate resilience, and support for technical capacity development, adding that the State of Qatar has allocated $1.7 million for this purpose.
HE Al Muraikhi affirmed Qatar's firm belief in the need for high-level coordination and partnerships to deal with these interrelated crises, noting the necessity of working together to build more resilient food systems. (QNA)