Vietnam has transformed from an aid recipient to a big exporter of rice and other agricultural products in the world, Beasley told Ambassador Duong Hai Hung, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the WFP, who came to present his credentials in Rome on December 7.
The WFP leader suggested Vietnam share its experience with and provide technical assistance for underdeveloped countries, as the world is facing huge food security challenges as a result of wars and climate change.
For his part, Hung praised the WFP’s role in the fight against poverty and coping with other emergencies, as well as its long-term support for agricultural building and development in poor nations, contributing to ensuring sustainable food security worldwide.
The ambassador thanked the WFP for its assistance to Vietnam in handling the serious food shortage in the Southeast Asian country in the 1980s, helping it emerge as a leading rice producer and exporter globally.
He called for WFP support in improving Vietnam’s national capacity for guaranteeing food security and developing livelihood of rural residents, especially in extreme weather and climate change response.
Hung reiterated Vietnam’s commitment to closely cooperating with the programme and other UN agencies in fulfilling the 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly in poverty reduction.
The two sides should continue their discussions on cooperation potential in contributing to emergency relief, the sharing of experience and knowledge, and technical assistance to underdeveloped countries, he suggested.
