Burundi Endorses Angola’s Bid for FAO Leadership

Bujumbura: The President of Burundi and Chairperson of the African Union, Évariste Ndayishimiye, declared his support on Friday for Angola's bid for the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), after receiving a message from Angolan Head of State Joo Lourenço. The message was delivered by Foreign Minister Téte António, who traveled to Bujumbura as the Angolan Head of State's special envoy. According to Angola Press News Agency, a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs detailed that the meeting not only presented Angola's candidacy for the leadership of the FAO, led by Josefa Sacko, but also sought to request Burundi's support. Évariste Ndayishimiye acknowledged President Joo Lourenço's message and expressed Burundi's support for the Angolan bid, in his capacity as both Head of State and the current Chairperson of the African Union. The meeting confirmed the strong political and diplomatic relations between Angola and Burundi and was part of the diplomatic drive led by the Angol an government among FAO member states to rally support for Josefa Sacko's candidacy. According to the statement, the message conveys the sentiments of friendship and solidarity uniting Angola and Burundi and reaffirms the commitment to deepening relations between the two countries. During the meeting, the two leaders reviewed the state of bilateral relations and discussed matters of mutual interest regarding politics, diplomacy, and multilateral cooperation. Angola's candidacy is based on the conviction that African leadership at the helm of the FAO could strengthen international cooperation in the fight against hunger, food insecurity, and poverty. It also aims to promote more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive food systems, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the strategic priorities of the African continent.