Luxembourg Signs New Strategic Partnership with World Food Program

Luxembourg's Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Action, Franz Fayot, visited Rome on Friday 25 June 2021 to meet with representatives of Luxembourg's cooperation partners. 

Several UN agencies have their headquarters in Rome: the visit was an opportunity for the Minister to meet representatives of agencies that are Luxembourg Cooperation partners, in particular the World Food Program (WFP), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

The meeting with David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Program (WFP), was an opportunity to sign a new strategic partnership framework for the period 2022 to 2025 and thus testify to Luxembourg's strong commitment to the WFP's mission, a reliable partner in the response to humanitarian crises. The discussions focused on ongoing WFP humanitarian operations in various crisis contexts, including in the Sahel, Ethiopia (Tigray) and Palestine, as well as on possibilities for strengthening cooperation between Luxembourg and WFP in the areas innovation and new technologies.

The minister's visit continued with a meeting with Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The minister inquired in particular about the development of the ABC fund, which Luxembourg has set up jointly with IFAD.

The minister also spoke with Dongy Qu, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), on whose Council Luxembourg sits for the next two years.