On 16 June 2010, Mr. Hiroyuki Konuma, Assistant Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, paid a courtesy call on Mr. Kasit Piromya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the occasion of his assumption of office. Gist as follows:
The Assistant Director-General stated that the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP), located in Bangkok covering 43 member countries, is part of the decentralized structure of FAO. In order to strengthen the role in human security and sustainable development, the FAO RAP focuses on four priority areas of national and regional cooperation which include the enhancement of food security, the conservation of national resources, the preparation for climate change, and the prevention of national disaster. On the issue of poverty eradication in the Kingdom, the FAORAP emphasizes its work in the northern, northeastern, and southern Thailand. Foreign Minister Kasit viewed that such cooperation will greatly complement the Royal Thai Government’s strategies to eradicate poverty, especially in the rural areas, and to boost national growth.
With regard to the regional development cooperation, Foreign Minister Kasit stressed the importance of cooperation and shared competence among other countries and offered Thailand’s agricultural assistance, particularly on rice farming to countries in South Asia such as Nepal, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Such knowledge sharing, through coordination by FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) the FAORAP, will help fulfill Thailand’s commitment under the framework of South-South Cooperation.
Given the empirical evidence on the income gap between the rural and urban areas in Thailand, Foreign Minister Kasit highlighted the need to set the target date on poverty alleviation among the poor Thais as it will advance and strengthen long-term stability in the Kingdom.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th