Thank you for giving me the floor,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic countries Finland, Norway, Sweden and my own country, Iceland.
The Nordic EU member countries: Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, further align with the statement delivered by Cyprus on behalf of EU and its 27 Member states.
We thank the Director-General and the Independent Chairperson for organising this special session.
Mr Chair,
The situation in the Middle East and the Gulf is grave, and the impacts on countries in fragile situations are particularly devastating.
The conflict between US/Israel and Iran carries far-reaching consequences, as the security, economic, and humanitarian aspects of the crisis spill far beyond the Gulf region.
We call for maximum restraint and an end to the war, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and full respect of international law, including international humanitarian law, by all parties.
Iran’s military strikes against GCC countries and Jordan and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz have dire consequences and lasting repercussions that go far beyond the Middle East. The war in Iran and the hindered passage of the Hormuz strait has a serious detrimental impact on global food security, [on malnutrition, on hunger].
We welcome the extension of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran and urge all parties to pursue a diplomatic dialogue to put an end to hostilities.
We underline the significance of the freedom of navigation, as also reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which at all times must be respected. Any attempt to impose unlawful restrictions on freedom of navigation must be rejected.
We urge the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened as soon as possible. Close engagement with the Gulf countries is vital in all responses.
Mr. Chair,
We highly value and welcome the role that FAO is playing, with thorough monitoring and sound analysis of the implications of the conflict in the Middle East on global agrifood systems.
We ask FAO to continue to produce both analytical and aggregated data and assessments, including on the expected consequences of different scenarios; to propose policy mitigation measures; and to provide emergency responses. We also call on FAO to provide gender and age disaggregated data and analysis.
We request FAO to develop plans as to how the organisation can support countries mitigating the consequences for global food security, in particular in the areas most harmfully affected by rising food, fertilizer and energy prices.
In performing these tasks, we expect FAO to coordinate closely with all relevant actors, not least UN partners, including WFP and IFAD, as well as IFIs, to ensure an efficient and effective response.
The Nordic countries remain major donors to the UN system, including the Rome-based agencies. We will continue our support to humanitarian crises around the world, which now risks deteriorating further.
Finally, Mr Chairperson, I would like to end my intervention by supporting the adoption en bloc of the proposal for a decision by the Council as presented.
Thank you.