Today the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Emanuela Del Re, had a videoconference conversation with the Minister of Development Cooperation of Canada, Karina Gould, who offered the opportunity for an update on the initiatives launched in response to the current global health and economic crisis. In this regard, the two interlocutors agreed on the importance of a progressive strengthening of the architecture of International Institutions that are responsible for multilateral cooperation on global health and noted the excellent level of collaboration between Italy and Canada in support of global cooperation mechanisms for the research and distribution of the vaccine and other health treatments to counter COVID-19, in particular within the Accelerator “ACT-Access to COVID-19 Tools” and the GAVI Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, of which Italy and Canada are among the main donors.
The Vice Minister Del Re also pointed out that “COVID-19 pandemic has had significant effects on the food supply system, which is why Italy has recently launched the Food Coalition, an innovative multilateral and multi-sector mechanism able to create a network of international solidarity to pursue the objectives of food security and access to nutrition”. In reviewing the most qualifying aspects of this initiative, aimed at promoting an inclusive, modern and sustainable agriculture, the Vice Minister also hoped that it will soon have the full Canadian participation.
Looking at the future appointments around these issues, Vice Minister Del Re informed her Canadian colleague that Italy is fully committed to the preparation of the UN Food Systems Summit called by Secretary General Guterres for 2021, the year in which Italy will also hold the G20 presidency and co-chair the COP26 together with the United Kingdom. “On the issues of nutrition and sustainable agriculture I would like to recall”, the Vice Minister concluded, “the qualifying role of the UN pole in Rome, multilateral capital for the agricultural and agri-food sector hosting FAO, IFAD and WFP. Next year’s events will continue to focus on the link between food and development and its implications in terms of the fight against climate change, environmental sustainability and quality of food production”.
