FAO opens 14th Regional Management Team meeting in Accra

Bringing together more than 150 leaders and technical specialists from across Africa and FAO headquarters, the meeting focused on strengthening partnerships, driving innovation, scaling up action, and enhancing learning across FAO’s work in Africa.  It was held under the theme Partnership. Innovation. Action.

In his keynote address, The Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, urged participants to harness the momentum FAO has built across the continent. 

“Our theme – Partnership, Innovation, Action, Learning – can serve as a powerful guide defining the dynamic, forward-thinking approach we must embody to effectively serve our member states and achieve our shared goals,” he said. He also noted that despite complex challenges, FAO has seen commendable progress in Africa, citing deeper partnerships, increased resource mobilization, and growing regional influence.

The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture of Ghana, Hon. John Dumelo (MP), expressed Ghana’s honour as the host of the FAO Regional Office for Africa: “Ghana is ready to walk side by side with FAO and all partners. Ready to lead and to learn. Ready to drive the transformation that will secure a resilient, inclusive, and prosperous agricultural future for our nation and for Africa.”

The Plant Production and Protection Officer at FAO Ghana, Jean Baptiste Bahama in his delivery during the panel discussion emphasized on the need to focus more on solutions than linger on the challenges in the sector. ”When the objectives of our activities are aligned to the strategic framework and appropriate initiatives, we achieve more”.

He also stressed on the need to deepen partnerships by bringing in governments, private sector, research, academia and communities from design of the programs to the delivery across all sectors. “We need to accelerate economic actions to empower producer organizations, pastoral associations, fishery cooperatives, forest user groups to drive change from within”, he added.

The FAO Representative in Ghana ad interim and Senior Resilience Officer at the Regional Office, Ms. Priya Gujadhur, in her submission during the panel discussion reminded the audience of the goals of the Better Life pillar which aims to promote inclusive economic growth by reducing inequalities. “We might have strong policies; we might have strong programming as well, but that fragmented nature coordination and implementation does not lead to long-term sustainability”.

She said that there is a need to build cooperation, particularly in the areas of innovation and women’s empowerment by “engaging in the right partnerships”.

In an interview  Bintia Stephen Tchicaya, FAO Sub-regional Coordinator a.i,  expressed that  “the RMT meeting is a yearly event that brings together regional officers and representatives to discuss the achievements, challenges and set strategic directions for the future.

The Country Representative in Cameroon, Antonio Querido stated that the RMT is a strategic space that offers a space for reflection, pushes agencies and strike partnerships. “At the end of the meeting, I look forward to find synergies amongst our programs, interact with colleagues from different sub-regions as well as cross-fertilize”, he added