Djibouti – FAO Director-General, Dr QU Dongyu, conducted an official visit to Djibouti, during which he was received by H.E. Mr Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti.
President Guelleh welcomed the Director-General and congratulated FAO for its continued support to Members, and in particular to Djibouti. He highlighted the importance of the FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative, noting that it provided a valuable framework for accelerating development.
The President underlined the many opportunities for development within the country, while expressing his expectation for FAO to continue providing the necessary support in identifying concrete solutions to strengthen the economy, especially in a context where nearly all food commodities in Djibouti were imported. He also noted that Djibouti’s population was traditionally nomadic, and livestock owners often travelled long distances in search of pastures. This mobility, combined with extremely limited rainfall, contributed to land degradation and desertification. The President emphasized the need to launch a green revolution to reduce hunger and enhance food security in the country.
The Director-General congratulated President Guelleh for maintaining stability in a region often affected by instability, and stated that, given its strategic location, Djibouti had the potential to become a regional economic hub.
The meeting ended with a shared commitment to further strengthen collaboration to ensure that the fruitful partnership between FAO and Djibouti could lead to the transformative results the country aspired to achieve.
