Bilateral meeting with Mr Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification

New York - FAO Director-General QU Dongyu met with the Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Mr Ibrahim Thiaw, in New York in the lead up to the high-level week of the UN General Assembly.

Mr Thiaw expressed gratitude to FAO for its longstanding and fruitful partnership with the UNCCD, spanning some 25 years. The two discussed the increasing frequency of droughts and their unpredictability, which make them an increasing challenge for agrifood systems in affected countries. They noted with concern that drought-affected areas are now also hit by floods creating a dual challenge of water scarcity and excess water in the same geographical locations.

The pair noted that increasing droughts are jeopardizing food production, and livestock, with additional negative consequences for hydropower production and human health, in addition to driving immigration.

Looking ahead to the UNCCD's COP 16 in Riyadh in December, the Director-General assured the Executive Secretary of FAO's continued engagement in support of a transformation towards more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems to withstand increasing droughts.