FAO's Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean fortifies links with NGOs and CSOs

The FAO Regional Office of for Latin America and the Caribbean continues creating structures to strengthen the dialogue between this Regional Representation and Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organizations, notably in activities related to the International Alliance Against Hunger (IAAH).

A Committee for links between the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean with NGOs and CSOs was recently created and will meet once a month to coordinate activities. This committee complements the activities of the External Advisory Group (EAG) for NGOs and CSOs. The committee is comprised of members from the different working groups within the Regional Office in order to guarantee that the links between NGOs and CSOs become part of everyday activities of the FAO Regional Office.

A Linking Unit in charge of maintaining relationships with NGOs and other civil society organizations was also created. This unit is composed by two focal points: Hernán Gómez (Hernan.Gomez@fao.org), focal point for the right to food, who will also serve as Secretary of the EAG and Jan Wendt (Jan.Wendt@fao.org), focal point for the International Planning Committee and the Linking Unit RLC - NGO/CSO. (See also the Network's interview with Mr Antonio Onorati, co-ordinator of the IPC).

The FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean with the various NGOs and CSOs gathered in the EAG, are holding meetings to design the strategic guidelines to implement an International Alliance Against Hunger in this region, which stemmed from the World Food Summit: five years later.

The main goal the EAG is aiming for is to create consensus that can enable international agencies, government, private sector and social organizations to act united in order to reach the goals set during the World Food Summit in 1996 of halving undernourished people by 2015.

To read the outcomes of External Advisory Group meetings please click here.