20-21 February 2025, Rome, Italy – The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations actively contributed to the 19th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), generously hosted by the Speakers of the Italian Senate and Chamber of Deputies in Rome from 20 to 21 February. The session served as a pivotal platform for High-Level discussions on pressing global challenges, including food insecurity, climate change, and sustainable development.
Addressing the High-Level Opening Ceremony on 20 February, Hon. Maurizio Martina, Deputy Director-General of FAO and former Italian Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, underscored the critical timing of PAM Plenary Session amid the growing crises
affecting the region.
He emphasized the urgency of tackling global food insecurity and malnutrition, noting that 1.4 billion people worldwide still lack adequate daily access to food. Hon. Martina highlighted the essential role of parliamentary dialogue and legislative action in fostering food security and resilience, particularly in rural areas. In this regard, he reaffirmed FAO’s support for PAM as a key parliamentary platform.
Additionally, he referenced the upcoming Third Global Parliamentary Summit against Hunger and Malnutrition in Africa of FAO, scheduled to take place in South Africa in 2026, as a further opportunity to advance collective action and parliamentary cooperation.
Later in the afternoon, Hon. Jean-Léonard Touadi, Special Coordinator for Parliamentary Alliances at FAO, contributed to the discussions as a guest speaker during the session focused on PAM’s 2nd Standing Committee on Economic, Social, and Environmental Cooperation. In his remarks, he underscored the fundamental role of parliamentary action in addressing hunger and malnutrition—pressing global concerns that continue to affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide
He further stressed that achieving the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires strengthened legislative frameworks, increased budgetary commitments, and enhanced parliamentary oversight to advance food security and environmental sustainability, while also underscoring the indispensable role of parliamentary networks in shaping policies.
Recognizing the shared objectives of both organizations, Hon. Touadi reaffirmed the FAO commitment to continuing working together with PAM and on the finalization of an MoU between the two organizations. //