APA-Rabat (Morocco) – A memorandum of understanding was signed on Wednesday in Rabat on the organisation of the 33rd session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa (ARC33), scheduled for 18-20 April
2024.
Signed by the Moroccan Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, and the representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Jean Senahoun, the memorandum sets out the terms of the partnership and the measures required to ensure the success of the conference, whose central theme will be “Resilient agrifood systems and inclusive rural transformation.”
The Moroccan minister underlined Morocco’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive agri-food systems in Africa, saying he looked forward to welcoming the regional community to share experiences and explore
innovative solutions.
For his part, FAO representative Jean Senahoun praised Morocco’s commitment to food security and sustainable development. The regional conference will be held in two phases, with an initial virtual session from 27 to 29 March 2024, followed by the ministerial session from 18 to 20 April 2024 in Rabat.
The conference will bring together FAO members from the Africa region, the Holy See, certain United Nations specialised agencies, intergovernmental organisations and civil society organisations.
ARC33 will provide a strategic platform for participants to share best practices, explore partnerships and discuss opportunities for the transformation of agri-food systems in Africa.
The conference aims to provide regional guidance on the transformation of agri-food systems in Africa, in alignment with the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031. Discussions will focus on the FAO Strategic Framework as a roadmap to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by ending poverty, eradicating hunger and reducing inequality, by supporting the transformation towards more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems.
Morocco will chair the regional conference at its 33rd session. It was elected to organise the conference in 2024 at the 32nd session of the regional conference, hosted by Equatorial Guinea from 11 to 14 April 2022.
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