18 November 2024
PRESS RELEASE
FOOD ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE PRESS RELEASE
The 20th FAC Session was held in a hybrid format in London on Friday 15 November 2024 under the Chairpersonship of Mr. Jürgen Drexler, Senior Expert (FAO, OECD, Food Assistance), Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management, Austria.
Parties of the Convention namely Australia, Austria, Canada, European Union, France, Japan, Korea (Rep. of), Luxembourg, Russian Federation, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United States of America participated in the session.
The Committee reviewed the global situation regarding hunger, malnutrition and current food emergencies against the backdrop of recent developments, including the supply and demand outlook for global grains, rice and oilseeds markets.
The IGC Secretariat provided an update on the global grains market situation, including an overview of recent developments in export prices, the latest production forecasts and prospects for trade for the coming year. Moreover, the Secretariat gave an update on world supply and demand of pulses and on global dry bulk shipping markets.
Members also provided information on responses to food emergencies in the most vulnerable regions and on planned operations and recent policy developments, with particular emphasis on food security.
Members considered the FAC Annual Report for 2023 and noted that all parties fulfilled or substantially exceeded their commitments by collectively contributing over USD 7.9 billion to the improvement of worldwide food security1 .
Geographically, the interventions of FAC members focused on food assistance in some of the most critical humanitarian crises in 2023. Amongst others, this included Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Somalia and Ethiopia, Sudan and South Sudan, Syria and its neighbouring countries, Ukraine and Yemen. Apart from these contributions, several parties to the FAC provided food assistance to people living in so-called forgotten crises, such as the Central African Republic, Haiti, Venezuela and Colombia.
The World Food Programme provided a statement for the session.
Members also confirmed their intended minimum annual commitments for 2025.
The Committee appointed Mr. Max Lamesch, Director of Humanitarian Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Europe, as Vice-Chairperson in 2025.
PR(FAC Nov 2024)
