NEW YORK, JULY 23 – On Monday 24, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will arrive in Rome, where he will take part in the UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment. The high-level event is meant to build on the momentum of the 2021 Food Systems Summit. It will be hosted by the Government of Italy, in collaboration with the Rome-based UN Agencies, the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and the wider UN system.
In his remarks at the event’s opening ceremony, the Secretary-General is expected to underscore that global food systems are broken and billions of people are paying the price. He will highlight that broken food systems are not inevitable and they are the result of choices we have made.
He will urge governments to respond to the call for an SDG Stimulus, stressing that this will help countries make meaningful progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 2 to achieve zero hunger, and build systems that can ensure people have access to affordable, nutritious food wherever they live.
While in Rome, the Secretary-General will also meet with the President of the Republic of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, and the President of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, as well as with other leaders who are attending the summit. Guterres is expected to be back in New York on Tuesday.
The Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed will also participate in the UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment and arrive on Tuesday 25th of July in Rome. She will speak in several sessions including on Healthy and Protected Oceans, Catalyzing Food Systems Transformations, and Building Africa’s food sovereignty and resilience through sustainable investments.
On Wednesday 26th of July, the Deputy Secretary-General will close the Summit by emphasizing the urgency of closing the implementation gap, highlighting the linkages to financing for development, debt relief and science and technology for inclusive, resilient and sustainable food systems.
In the margins of the conference, the Deputy Secretary-General will meet with H.E. Mr. Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy as well as heads of delegations attending the conference.
The UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment will build on the momentum of the 2021 Food Systems Summit and will create a conducive space for countries to review progress on the commitments to action and identify successes, enduring bottlenecks and priorities in order to close the implementation gap by effectively and efficiently utilizing the Means of Implementation for food systems transformation. It will also be an opportunity to further socialize the powerful role of sustainable, equitable, healthy and resilient food systems as critical SDG accelerators and advocate for urgent action at scale, building on the latest evidence that sustainable food systems contribute to better and more sustainable outcomes for people, planet and prosperity leaving no one behind. (@OnuItalia)
