Strengthening agricultural cooperation: Morocco’s meeting with the Director General of the FAO

The head of government, Mr. Aziz Akhannouch, welcomed Mr. Qu Dongyu, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in Rabat on Thursday April 18, 2024. Mr. Dongyu in Morocco coincides with the 33rd FAO regional conference for Africa, which takes place from April 18 to 20 in Rabat.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Akhannouch highlighted Morocco’s particular interest in the agricultural sector and rural development, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Morocco aims to achieve integrated development and create added value through successive strategies focused on agricultural restructuring, improving productivity, promoting agricultural investments and developing human capital.
Mr. Dongyu praised Morocco’s experience in the agricultural and agri-food fields, noting that Morocco’s strategies over the past two decades, under the leadership of His Majesty the King, could serve as a model for other African countries. He affirmed FAO’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco for the benefit of other African nations.
Discussions also focused on mechanisms to strengthen the ongoing strategic partnership between Morocco and the FAO, which manages a portfolio of approximately $22 million in Morocco. This partnership focuses on permaculture, rural development and emergency response.
Both parties recognized the evolution of FAO’s technical support from ad hoc interventions to a strategic partnership based on programming approaches. The importance of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa was underlined, with the government ensuring all conditions necessary for its success, thereby promoting opportunities to share best practices, seek partnerships and explore solutions innovations in agricultural and food systems.
This meeting illustrates Morocco’s commitment to agricultural development and collaboration with international organizations such as the FAO to address the challenges of food security and promote sustainable agriculture in Africa.