The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Regional Office for Africa, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), have renewed their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost agroeconomic development in Africa.
The agreement, formalized in a signing ceremony on 18 March 2025 in Addis Ababa, aims to drive sustainable agriculture, regional integration, and climate resilience, while fostering innovation for economic diversification, environmental sustainability, and inclusive growth across the continent.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO Assistant Director-General for Africa, emphasized the importance of the MoU, stating, “This MoU comes at a historic juncture where the socio-economic landscape is changing dramatically. It gives us the opportunity to rethink how we can best support member states by optimally utilizing our assets, collaborating efficiently, and ensuring agri-food system transformation and sustainable development”, he said.
He added that FAO and ECA have numerous opportunities to work together toward the shared goal of improving food security and agroeconomic development.
On his part, Antonio Pedro, Deputy Executive Secretary of the ECA, added, “We must prioritize collaboration in key areas such as agroecological zones and the climate change-food security interface”, he added.
He further highlighted the importance of joint engagements on anticipatory actions and better-targeted interventions in climate change to reduce the continent’s vulnerability to climatic shocks.
Both parties agreed that the renewed collaboration will help address critical issues such as access to clean and just energy, regional agricultural value chains, and climate resilience, all of which are vital to supporting Africa’s transformation.
