ECOSOC Special Meeting on Forced Displacement and Refugee Protection

ECOSOC Special Meeting on Forced Displacement and Refugee Protection

Angélica Jácome, Director, FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York

24/04/2025

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

• FAO wishes to thank the President of ECOSOC for organizing this important discussion and the esteemed panelists for their insights.
• Displaced populations are among the most vulnerable to food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition. They are also the most affected by shocks and underinvestment in long-term solutions.
• Amid rising needs, a progressively challenging humanitarian context, and increasingly protracted displacement, we must rethink how we respond.
• Forced displacement cannot be treated as an indefinite emergency.
• We must invest in durable solutions that build long-term food security, and resilience, enabling refugees and host communities to rebuild their lives with dignity.
• This is where investing in agrifood systems transformation can make all the difference: agriculture has the potential to make displaced populations more than just aid recipients - it can turn them into agents of change.
• FAO's vision is that by leveraging agrifood systems, displaced people gain access to opportunities that help them to build resilience as well as sustainable lives and livelihoods, meeting their own food security and nutrition needs.
• As such, agriculture is not just a livelihood, it is a pathway to long-term food security, economic growth, stability and peace.
• We all have a vital role in enabling these transitions and FAO remains fully committed to delivering durable solutions, together with governments, communities, and partners.

Thank you.