Thank you Chair.
Italy wishes to thank FAO, IFAD, WFP, UNICEF and WHO for this new edition of the SOFI Report.
We continue to fully support your partnership and we encourage further cooperation to deliver integrated actions for food security and nutrition in the world, especially in the hotspots of hunger.
The SDG 2 in-depth review at the HLPF has been rich of inputs, building also on the outcomes of the UN Food Systems Summit+2 in Rome.
The focus of this year’s report on financing is of critical importance.
Financing food systems transformation towards resilience, localization, sustainability, quality and access as well as supporting food security in crises are key priorities of the Italian Government and of both our bilateral and multilateral action.
Over the last year, Italy has further increased its political, financial and technical support for Food Security and Nutrition, including by increasing our contributions to the UN in this field, including through FAO, IFAD, WFP, the Food Systems Window of the Joint SDG Fund.
We have also stepped up public-private partnerships to boost food systems in Africa, in particular, in close cooperation with our African partners.
This has also been a priority of the Italian G7 Presidency, which delivered tangible results.
At the G7 Summit, Leaders highlighted that G7 Countries exceeded their joint financial commitment of 14 billion dollars to global food security, announced in 2022, remaining committed to addressing the escalating global food security and nutrition crisis.
In addition, Leaders launched the new G7 Apulia Food Systems Initiative to intensify our efforts to overcome structural barriers to food security and nutrition and to build resilient sustainable and productive agriculture and food systems. When it comes to food security and conflicts, let me also recall our initiative with FAO and WFP “Food for Gaza” that we are implementing.
In conclusion, Italy will continue to raise multilateral ambition and accelerate actions to bring SDG 2 back on track and end hunger and malnutrition in all its forms, also in our capacity of Chair of the Group of Friends of Food Security and Nutrition here in New York.
I thank you.
