The Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Vincenzo Grassi, took the floor today during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Mr. Michael Fakhri, in the framework of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council.
“Italy joins the call of the Special Rapporteur to urgently address food insecurity in the face of rising food prices, inflation, and the global debt crisis affecting developing countries. This situation is further exacerbated by the environmental crisis, which imposes increasing financial burden for the most affected States.
Food security is a priority of the Italian international agenda. As recently restated in the context of last year’s Italian G7 Presidency, Italy attaches the highest importance to the development of food systems that can provide safe, affordable, nutritious and quality food for all.
Through the Rome UN Agencies (FAO, WFP and IFAD), Italy will pursue its commitment to reduce poverty and hunger in the world’s most disadvantaged areas.
The Ambassador also underlined that “financial instruments and private investments can play a crucial role in ensuring the right to food by fostering sustainable agricultural development, supporting smallholder farmers, and facilitating access to markets” and that “Italy recognizes the need for international cooperation to help countries to implement their right-to-food action plans and aims at collaborating with the private sector in its initiatives in the food security sector”.
Read the full statement here.
