Ireland has been elected to the council of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) for a two-year term.

The council is the governing body of the FAO, the specialised agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.

During the 44th session of the FAO conference, the election to fill two vacant seats for the Europe and Central Asia region resulted in Ireland topping the poll and gaining a seat on the council for the first time since 2013.

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As a member of the FAO council, Ireland will play a key role in shaping the strategic direction, policy and oversight of the organisation.

Ireland and the FAO are aligned through shared priorities in sustainable food systems, global food security, rural development and environmental protection.

Following the election, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said: “Ireland’s agricultural expertise, particularly in sustainable food systems and our strong commitment to end global food insecurity, closely aligns us with the work of [the] FAO.

Evident

"This is evident throughout our Food Vision 2030 strategy and our focus on the UN sustainable development goals. Ireland looks forward to bringing a strong voice to the FAO council and working alongside FAO members to achieve these goals. This voice will only be amplified further during our EU presidency next year," he said.

The significance, Minister Heydon added, of Ireland being a member of the FAO council is that it will enable us to help shape global food and agriculture policy, increase Ireland's visibility within the UN system and to engage in high-level decision-making that supports sustainable development and multilateral co-operation to assist countries that can avail of our agriculture expertise.

"My Department, through the FAO, has already funded a number of key projects including in Sudan and Ukraine.

"Ireland has also joined the global network against food crises, where not only are we the only country to do so, but joining with my Department as the focal point of contact is very significant and has triggered interest from other national ministries of agriculture," he said.

The election follows Minister Heydon’s recent attendance at the sixth African Union (AU) - European Union (EU) agriculture ministerial conference in Rome.

In advance of the conference, Minister Heydon met with FAO director-general Qu Dongyu and both reflected on the need for co-ordinated global action to ensure food security and for transformation to sustainable agri-food systems.