New York (VNA) – Vietnam highlighted the countryand the ASEAN’s commitment to poverty reduction, food security and sustainable agriculturaldevelopment, at a joint meeting of the 77th session of the UN GeneralAssembly’s Economic and Financial Committee in New York on October 12.

Addressing the meeting, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang,Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, affirmed that agriculture is akey sector in Southeast Asia, creating jobs for 30% of thepopulation, making up 12% of the GDP, and significantly contributing to theregional efforts towards poverty alleviation, sustainable development andreducing hunger. 

He cited statistics as showing that there will be 670 millionpeople, or 8% of the world population, face food shortage in 2030. Facing thischallenge, the ASEAN continues to commit to strengthening regional foodsecurity through the implementation of the cooperation strategy on food andagro-forestry, the Food Security Framework and Food Security Action Strategy forthe 2021-2026 period and Nutrition Strategy Framework and Action Programme for the2018-2030 period.

The ASEAN highly values the policy recommendations and supportfrom the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as well as resident coordinatorsand UN agencies in regional countries in this regard, Ambassador Giang stated.

Regarding poverty eradication, he said that thisis one of ASEAN's most important priorities. ASEAN has made significantprogress in implementing initiatives and strategies to promote regionalcooperation and inclusive development in rural and urban areas, and speed up povertyeradication, including the Framework Action Plan on Rural Development andPoverty Eradication 2021 – 2025, ASEAN Development Outlook, and the poverty reductionand development forum under the ASEAN Socio-Economic Community.

In thisprocess, promoting trade, investment and corporate leadership as well as humanresources development and public-private partnerships will be important toolsfor job creation and poverty eradication, he stated.

Highlighting the region’s vulnerability towards the impact of climate change, hereaffirmed the ASEAN’s commitment towards the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Giang stressed that the ASEAN will continue to make strongcommitments and contributions to joint efforts in the work and cooperate withthe international community in realising sustainable development goalsregarding poverty reduction, sustainable development and food security for all.

At the meeting, participants expressed their worry about lingering hunger, poverty and inequality, with over 80% of the poor people livingin rural areas, and food security has been threatened by COVID-19, conflictsand global challenges.

They underlined the need to take comprehensive andmultilateral measures with the engagement of all relevant parties in order to eliminatehunger and poverty, ensure food security, and strengthen the sustainable resilienceof the food system. They also called on development partners and UN agencies tostrengthen the capacity building and experience sharing regarding hunger andpoverty reduction in developing countries./.