FAO / NEAR EAST REGIONAL CONFERENCE

The 2026 conflict in the Middle East is adding further pressure on fragile agrifood systems and global supply chains, threatening the availability, accessibility, and affordability of food, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, QU Dongyu, told the 38th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East. FAO

• Video Length: 00:02:55
• Production Date: 21 April 2026
• Asset Language: English; Arabic
• Corporate Name: FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION - FAO
• Subject Topical: FOOD; MIDDLE EAST SITUATION; AGRICULTURE
• Geographic Subject: ITALY; MIDDLE EAST
• MAMS Id: 3558622
• Parent Id: 3558622
• Alternate Title: unifeed260421b

Description

STORY: FAO / NEAR EAST REGIONAL CONFERENCE
TRT:2:55
SOURCE: FAO
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT FAO ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE / ENGLISH / ARABIC / NATS

DATELINE: 20 APRIL 2026, ROME, ITALY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE - ROME, ITALY

1. Aerial shot, FAO Headquarters

20 APRIL 2026, ROME, ITALY

2. Wide shot, delegates in a meeting in “Red Room”
3. Various shots, meeting
4. SOUNDBITE (English) QU Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):
“We are all deeply aware that we are meeting at a critical moment for the Near East region. The current situation is adding further pressure on our agrifood systems and global supply chains.”
5. Wide shot, meeting with QU on screen
6. SOUNDBITE (English) QU Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):
“This significant disruption to the food production, trade and distribution system, currently being experienced across the region are further compounded by global implications, including rising energy prices, disruptions in fertilizer market and all agricultural inputs.”
7. Med shot, QU speaking from the dais
8. SOUNDBITE (English) QU Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):
“At FAO, our work is firmly grounded in the belief that the right to food is a basic human right, and that peace is a prerequisite for food security. Efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems are critical to support recovery, reduce vulnerabilities, and contribute to long-term stability and peace in the Near East.”
9. Wide shot, audience aplauding
10. Med shot, delegates listening
11. Wide shot, Al Dahak on screen
12. Med shot, Al Dahak speaking from the dais
13. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates / Chair, 38th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East:
“Our region today faces escalating pressures, ranging from transboundary pests to the weaponization of food supply chains in geopolitical conflicts. In the face of these pressing threats, regional integration has become, now more than ever, our only viable path forward. Any threat to food security to any country in the region is a direct threat to our collective stability. By ensuring the provision of safe food for the people of the region, we are not merely fulfilling a humanitarian duty; we are establishing the foundations of sustainable and resilient food security.”
14. Various shots, meeting

Storyline

The 2026 conflict in the Middle East is adding further pressure on fragile agrifood systems and global supply chains, threatening the availability, accessibility, and affordability of food, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, told the 38th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (NERC38).

The conference took place on Monday (20 Apr) at the Organization's headquarters in Rome during a "critical moment" for the region, underscoring the need to recognize "the immense importance of maintaining trade flows, and of ensuring access to adequate food for all, particularly in import-dependent countries," Qu said in his opening statement.

The NERC38 was chaired by the United Arab Emirates, represented by Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment. The regional ministerial conference brought together Ministers and policymakers from across the region to discuss the increasingly complex and interconnected landscape of risks that severely affect agrifood systems and food security.

As a technical knowledge organization, and in line with its mandate, FAO is closely assessing the impacts of ongoing global conflicts – including the one in the Middle East - on food security and agrifood supply chains to provide the best available evidence, technical expertise, and policy support to help Members safeguard food security, strengthen resilience, and protect rural livelihoods.

The Director-General warned that the significant disruptions to food production, trade, and distribution systems currently being experienced across the region were further compounded by global implications, "including rising energy prices and disruptions in fertilizer markets, which are increasing production costs and affecting agricultural productivity both within the region and beyond."

Noting that crisis was affecting all agricultural inputs, including chemicals and machinery in addition to fertilizers, the Director-General said he had informed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that its impact would have "long-term consequences for agriculture," even if it were to end today.

Conflicts are already severely impacting farmers, producers, and value chain actors, whose livelihoods are increasingly at risk.

"At FAO, our work is firmly grounded in the belief that the right to food is a basic human right, and that peace is a prerequisite for food security," Qu said. "Efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems are critical to support recovery, reduce vulnerabilities, and contribute to long-term stability and peace in the Near East."

For her part, Minister Al Dahak affirmed that the UAE's chairing of this session aims to drive a fundamental shift in the region's agrifood systems. The systems are set to transform from reactive crisis management to proactive innovation, empowering the region to build resilient systems that can turn environmental and geopolitical challenges into sustainable development opportunities, backed by robust logistics infrastructure and strategic partnerships that keep global supply chains secure, she said.

Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of UAE and Chair of the 38th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East, said, “Our region today faces escalating pressures, ranging from transboundary pests to the weaponization of food supply chains in geopolitical conflicts. In the face of these pressing threats, regional integration has become, now more than ever, our only viable path forward. Any threat to food security to any country in the region is a direct threat to our collective stability. By ensuring the provision of safe food for the people of the region, we are not merely fulfilling a humanitarian duty; we are establishing the foundations of sustainable and resilient food security.”

The NERC38 organized a series of Ministerial Roundtables and Sessions designed to discuss how best to respond to the systemic shocks facing the region, focusing on strengthening food supply chains, diversifying food supply sources, investing in infrastructure, and fostering meaningful partnerships to translate shared priorities into impactful results.