On behalf of the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela, the People’s Power Minister for Foreign Relations, Jorge Arreaza, requested this Monday before the 36th Regional Conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), that this multilateral agency prioritize the design and implementation of mechanisms that allow all the countries of the region to have equal access to the material and financial resources necessary to guarantee the right to development and food.
In the company of the People’s Power Ministers for Food, Carlos Leal Tellería and for Ecosocialism, Oswaldo Barbera; the Foreign Minister of the Republic reiterated the rejection to unilateral coercive measures due to their negative effects on social rights, human rights and fundamentally the right to food.
He also stressed that the sanctions against Venezuela also harm the Caribbean nations, which had a strong tool for their integral development, such as Petrocaribe, which is in the process of reengineering to be relaunched under other modalities.
He indicated that the School Feeding Program (PAE) is also being strengthened and proposals are being made for the incorporation of the United Nations World Food Program into the country.
Hand to hand
Minister Arreaza congratulated the presentation of FAO’s Hand to hand initiative, aimed at focusing more resources on the most needy sectors of the regions. “Venezuela would propose that a Hand to hand be considered also for countries that are subject to sanctions, blockades, unilateral coercive measures, and that for reasons beyond their control experience difficulties that must be addressed by the multilateral system, since they are measures that are outside of Public International Law”, he emphasized.
During his speech, the Foreign Minister pointed out that FAO works in the country to improve the national capacity for seed production, an area in which the Bolivarian Government has promoted a scientific-peasant alliance.
In addition, he thanked the great work that FAO has done in the region so that COVID-19 does not translate into a food crisis of great magnitude.
