Statement by Mr. Carl Frederick Paul, United Nations Resident Coordinator in The Gambia, at the National Agrifood Systems Investment Forum Opening

Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Livestock & Food Security

Your Excellencies members of the Chancellor and Diplomatic Corp

Distinguished representatives of the public and private sectors, 

Development partners,

Colleagues from the United Nations,

Members of the Press

Esteemed Guests, Ladies, and Gentlemen,

Good morning,

It is such an honour to join the witness the second National Agrifood Systems Investment Forum organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock & Food Security in preparation for the UN-FAO International Hand in Hand Investment Forum due to take place in Rome, in October this year.

The United Nations Country Team in The Gambia remains steadfast in its efforts to explore investment opportunities with the Government of The Gambia. Agriculture being the backbone of the economy, it is imperative that national agrifood systems must contribute to sustainable development, food security, poverty alleviation and help drive national progress towards investment and commercialization. 

Promoting and enhancing investment in agriculture as well as building strategic partnerships will play a key role in meeting the SDGs—particularly those related to poverty eradication, food security, and economic growth.

The UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2024 – 2028 prioritizes agrifood systems transformation as part of a broader agenda for sustainable development. The UN FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative is indeed designed to support food systems transformation by enhancing informed planning and decision-making for investment and commercialization as well as building partnerships. The private sector is highly essential in this, not only as a provider of capital but as a major driver for job creation, and infrastructure development. 

By providing support to minimize investment risks and investment optimize benefits, the UN aims to align agrifood systems with emerging market opportunities, enhance productive capacities, and empower value chain stakeholders to participate effectively in local and international markets.

The United Nations is working to create an enabling environment that aligns agrifood investments with sustainable development priorities. This forum is an ideal platform for policy-makers, investors, financiers and other partners to engage in meaningful discussions on agrifood system transformation, priority setting and partnership building. 

Achieving the SDGs will require robust collaboration between the public and private sectors. The UN’s role is to assist national governments to better align investments in agrifood systems and to meet national development goals, and to foster an environment that will encourage investment in priority agrifood sectors. 

I am convinced that today’s discussions will help identify investment priorities, explore financing models and build better foundation for public-private partnerships. This is the key to unlocking the potential of The Gambia’s agricultural sector and ensuring its contribution to long-term sustainable development.

Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to reaffirm the United Nations’ dedication to supporting The Gambia to transform, strengthen and accelerate investment in national agrifood systems. 

Thank you.