ASEAN pledges to eradicate poverty, ensure sustainable agriculture and food security for all

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

New York (VNA) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is committed to enhancing regional food security through applying advanced technology, improving agricultural productivity, ensuring supply chains, building an early warning and quick response system to ensure sufficient food supply in crisis situations, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN) has said.

He made the remarks on behalf of the regional bloc at a general discussion on poverty reduction, agricultural development and food security at the second committee (Economic and Financial) of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly on October 11. 

He went on to say that ASEAN will continue to cooperate closely with the private sector, international organisations and relevant research agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WPF), World Bank (WB), and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) while effectively promoting achievements and existing mechanisms and frameworks such as the ASEAN Framework Action Plan on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication 2021-2025 and the ASEAN Development Vision.

Ambassador Giang emphasised that agriculture is a key economic sector in Southeast Asia, providing jobs for as much as 32% of the region’s population and accounting for 22% of gross domestic production, thus, contributing to poverty reduction, nutrition and sustainable development in the region.

Regarding promoting hunger eradication and poverty reduction and ensuring sustainable food security, the diplomat highlighted five main solutions stated in the High-Level Declaration "ASEAN is the Epicentre of Growth", which are promoting global supply chains, trade and investment through effective implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and ASEAN 1 new generation free trade agreements (FTAs), and accelerating digital transformation towards the ASEAN Digital Economic Community 2045, strengthening the building of a green economy, aiming for carbon neutrality and net zero emissions and inclusive economic development, promoting the blue economy, innovation and inclusive economic development. 
        
Minister Counsellor and deputy head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the UN Nguyen Hoang Nguyen also delivered a speech on this topic, sharing some outstanding achievements of Vietnam in ensuring food security, poverty reduction and agricultural and rural development, including efforts to reduce the multidimensional poverty rate to 4.3% and raise agricultural exports to over 52 billion USD in 2022.

He emphasised the importance of investing in agricultural infrastructure, applying scientific and technological advances and measures to reduce food loss and waste, strengthening the food system towards more sustainability as well as issuing supporting policies to ensure livelihoods and welfare for the poor, especially those residing in rural and remote areas.

Vietnam is determined to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals No.1 and No. 2 on hunger eradication and poverty reduction by 2023 and is ready to share relevant experiences and practices with other countries, especially through South-South cooperation and trilateral collaboration, Nguyen said./.