Tashkent, Uzbekistan—On September 5-6, 2024, Tashkent is hosting the International Forum on Landlocked Developing Countries: Food Security and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The event is attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov, the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan Ibrahim Abdurakhmanov, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Qu Dongyu, high-level representatives of 32 landlocked developing countries, as well as representatives of international financial organizations, academia and foreign countries. The forum was also attended by the leadership of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), experts, NGO representatives, civil society institutions and the media.
The main objective of the forum is to address issues related to agricultural trade, food security, adaptation to climate change and logistics in landlocked developing countries. Today, 32 developing countries worldwide are facing this problem, and the forum aims to find positive solutions.
The opening ceremony of the forum was attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov, FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu, UN High Representative for the Least Developed and Landlocked Developing Countries, Rabab Fatima, EU Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski and President of the International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD) Alvaro Lario. The keynote speech on the topic “Sustainable Development Goals for Landlocked Developing Countries” was delivered by FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero.
The forum also included a high-level general session on the importance and prospects for developing agriculture and food systems in such countries.
In the afternoon, thematic sessions were held on the following topics: “Facilitating Agricultural Trade through WTO Accession for Landlocked Developing Countries”, “Investment Opportunities in the Agricultural Sector”, “The Role of the Private Sector in the Agricultural Market”, “Food Security and Nutrition”, “Technological Innovation”, “Effective Public Policies for Transforming Agri-Food Systems in Developing Countries”. The forum also featured sessions on the One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative aimed at transforming agricultural and food systems for sustainable development and sessions on sustainable management, innovation and locust control in the Caucasus and Central Asia.
In addition, FAO and the Government of Uzbekistan adopted a declaration on sustainable reform of the agro-industrial system of landlocked developing countries. It is worth noting that one of the priority tasks for developing countries is to ensure the stability of maritime trade, create a single international logistics network and improve trade relations with countries in remote regions. Particular attention is paid to investment projects developing this network since it is a critical aspect of the economy. This forum is aimed at promoting these strategic interests.
The event also included an investment forum in agriculture and food for landlocked developing countries. A presentation was made on the investment and export potential of Uzbekistan in these industries.
Following the B2B sessions held within the forum, a number of mutually beneficial agreements were signed. After that, the forum participants visited large agricultural enterprises and wholesale markets located in Tashkent and its suburbs.
It is worth emphasizing that the forum was aimed at developing transport routes linking Uzbekistan with other regions of the world, raising awareness of the current state of food security and agri-food systems in the country, as well as addressing key regional and global issues hindering progress in these areas. As a result of the forum, new agreements on trade in food products and the implementation of investment projects were reached.
Continuous and consistent implementation of such large projects, development of long-term programs aimed at promising contracts with neighboring and distant countries, as well as the implementation of new investment agreements in the agricultural sector will contribute to further development.
Additional information:
Jahongir Azizov, CAREC Country Director in Uzbekistan, uzbekistan@carececo.org
