PM to address UN Food Systems Summit today

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will join the three-day UN Food Systems Summit+2 Stocktaking Moment (UNFSS+2) at the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters commencing this afternoon.

The prime minister, who arrived in Rome yesterday, will also address the official opening of the conference as the special guest speaker.

Around 2,000 participants from over 160 countries, including over 20 heads of state and government, are attending the summit to be held on 24-26 July in Rome.

The event, convened by the United Nations Secretariat, and hosted by Italy, in collaboration with the Rome-based UN Agencies (FAO, IFAD, WFP), will be officially inaugurated at 2:30pm local time.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will lead the high-level opening.

The opening segment will also have the participation of FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, and several heads of government, including prime ministers of Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Samoa and Nepal.

The high-level meeting aims to create a conducive space for countries to review progress of the commitments made at the first Food Systems Summit in 2021, and identify successes, end bottlenecks and establish priorities.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will have a busy day today here. After the opening ceremony, she will participate in the plenary session titled "Food Systems and Climate Action".

On the evening of the same day, she will also join the inaugural ceremony of Bangladesh-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Room in FAO headquarters.

She will, as well, have bilateral meeting with her Nepalese counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal on the sidelines of the conference.

In addition, Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, FAO Director General Qu Dongyu, Executive Director of World Food Program Cindy Hensley McCain, President of International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD) Alvaro Lario, will also pay courtesy call on the Bangladesh premier.