Abera W.kidan
31 January 2008
Addis Ababa — Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Director-General Jacques Diouf is here for a six-day working visit during which he will also attend the 10th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) to be held this week.
In his courtesy call, the Director-General met and held discussions with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Addissu Legesse.
Ethiopia's food security activities, agriculture policies and bilateral co-operation were among the topics of discussions, a public relations official with FAO-Ethiopia told The Daily Monitor.
Diouf is also scheduled to have similar sessions with Foreign minister Seyoum Mesfin and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on Wednesday.
The Director-General said co-operation and relations between Ethiopia and his organisation was strengthening over time.
On Tuesday, Mr.Diouf, along with Addisu Legesse, officially inaugurated the new FAO Sub-regional Headquarters.
The SFE covers activities in Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.
"In establishing a sub-regional centre in Addis Ababa, FAO wishes to send a clear signal that it is determined to play its full part in achieving or consolidating success in the battle against hunger and poverty," Mr. Diouf said in his speech at the inaugural ceremony.
"I urge the countries that this centre will serve to demand the best from it; I ask that they extend their support to it and ensure that this centre establishes effective links with their own centers of excellence. FAO stands ready to strengthen and complement this sub-region's own capacities," he added.
Representatives from countries of the Eastern Africa sub-region, heads of UN agencies and Mayor Berhane Deressa attended the inaugural ceremony.
Mr Diouf will attend the AU Summit as an observer, but is set to capitalize on the occasion to meet heads of East African countries that will be in Addis Ababa for the AU summit, on ways of strengthening relations with the organisation, according to the official.
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