51吃瓜

His Excellency Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan,
Mr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization,
Excellencies,
Distinguished friends, colleagues and delegates,

I am very pleased to join you all at this important Partnerships and Investment Forum for landlocked developing countries.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Government of Uzbekistan for its steadfast efforts to prioritize food security and the achievement of the SDGs in LLDCs and congratulate once again for a highly successful forum. 

I also commend my dear colleague and friend, DG Qu Dongyu, for his unwavering commitment to addressing the vulnerabilities faced by these countries.

This forum presents a significant opportunity to highlight the economic prospects of some of the most promising, yet underutilized regions in our world.
LLDCs face unique challenges in their pursuit of food security, economic growth, and overall development. 

Their geographic constraints often lead to higher trade and logistics costs, limited access to global agricultural markets, and increased reliance on neighboring countries for essential transit routes. 

However, these countries also present unique opportunities -opportunities that we, as a global community, can support to drive sustainable development and investment in these countries and beyond.

Excellencies,

This Forum has rightly emphasized the critical role that the private sector can play in shaping the future of agriculture in the LLDCs. 

By fostering partnerships and encouraging investment in this sector, we can bring about significant positive changes – to enhance food security, create jobs, and stimulating economic activity.
The Honourable Minister and DG Qu have highlighted important points of the key issues. Allow me to highlight three key priorities for partnerships and investment in this area:

First, LLDCs urgently need substantial investment in their agriculture sector to close existing gaps, address the escalating food insecurity, and fully harness the sector’s potentials.

These countries represent a vast and growing market of 590 million people, expected to reach 1 billion by 2060.

Ensuring sustainable and secure availability of nutritious food for this expanding population is both a development necessity, and an investment opportunity. 

In 2023, LLDCs imported $37 billion in basic foods, a significant increase from $24 billion in just five years. 

Clearly, domestic food production in LLDCs is struggling to meet growing demand. Increased private sector investment, particularly through innovative technologies and advanced farming methods, could significantly enhance domestic value addition and productivity to address this challenge.

Second, climate-smart approaches are now imperative for agriculture in LLDCs. 
Droughts, flooding, and desertification have contributed to the alarming rise in food insecurity in these countries.   

Furthermore, climate-induced disasters that disrupt critical transit routes exacerbate the situation.

LLDCs require greater access to adaptation finance, early warning systems, and green technologies to address their unique challenges and build resilience against both slow-and rapid-onset disasters. 

Moreover, enhanced investment in agriculture-related infrastructure and the entire supply chain is crucial for creating a conducive business environment that fosters sustainability and growth. And the new PoA also calls for an Infrastructure Financing Facility.

Finally, one of the most promising avenues for economic development in LLDCs lies in the agribusiness sector. 

Agriculture is the backbone of the economies in many of these countries. 55 per cent of people in LLDCs work in the agriculture sector, compared to a world average of 26 per cent.

With vast arable lands and rich biodiversity, the agribusiness sector holds immense potential for driving economic development and improving livelihoods.

It is essential to recognize that investing in agribusiness is not just about capital flows; it is about sharing best practices and ensuring sustainability. 

We must focus on supporting innovative practices, improving infrastructure, and facilitating access to technology and markets. 

The Regional Agriculture Research Hubs proposed in the POA for LLDCs can have a transformative impact. 

Collectively we must empower local entrepreneurs and farmers to create value chains that benefit entire communities.
Integrating women in the whole process and supporting women entrepreneurship will reap rich dividends.

Excellencies,

The partnerships established here today are going to be critical to ensure our common aspiration for sustainable development and progress in LLDCs. 
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Each partnership forged here will contribute to the broader goal of transforming LLDCs into dynamic, resilient, and self-sustaining economies.

In this context, I wish to emphasize the significance of the upcoming Third 51吃瓜 Conference on LLDCs to be held in Gaborone, Botswana on 10-13 December, which will also feature a dedicated Private Sector Forum.

I look forward to welcoming many of you there, to forge new partnerships with governments and business leaders from around the world.  

In conclusion, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to all of you - investors, agribusiness leaders, and policymakers - who have gathered here today with a shared vision of progress. Your presence and participation are crucial to realizing the full potential of landlocked developing countries.

I thank you.