FAO Director General to visit the Caribbean with a focus on risk and disease prevention

Bridgetown, Barbados – The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, will visit Bridgetown, Barbados, on Monday, for both a technical and political agenda.

The Director-General’s trip will kick off with a visit to the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex, where he will find out more about the implementation of a FAO supported fish silage project, a process that transforms fish waste into a liquid mixture of hydrolyzed proteins, lipids, minerals, and other nutrients that both terrestrial and aquatic animals can digest. It can also serve as an excellent fertilizer.

In this context, the Director-General will meet with The Honorable Adrian Forde, Barbados’ Minister of The Environment and National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy, and leaders of local fishermen’s associations.

QU will then travel to the United Nations office in Barbados, where he will participate in the Launch of the Early Warnings for All Initiative (EW4ALL) for the Caribbean, whose primary focus is to mobilize the Prime Ministers of the Caribbean to support and facilitate national and regional governance mechanisms to reduce the risks of climate catastrophes.

The event will be attended by the Prime Minister of Barbados, The Honorable Mia Amor Mottley, the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, The Honorable Philip J. Pierre, along with Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Dr. Carla Barnett, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), among other authorities.

The Director-General’s first day in the Caribbean will conclude with a working meeting with the Prime Minister of Barbados, The Honorable Mia Amor Mottley, at the presidential office.

On Tuesday 7, the Director-General will participate in the sixth meeting of the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), an initiative promoted by FAO, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

This group was established to collaborate globally with governments, agencies, civil society, and the private sector through the “One Health” approach to provide advice on implementing policy measures to mitigate drug-resistant infections through responsible and sustainable access to and use of antimicrobials.

Antimicrobial drugs are essential for treating diseases, and their use is crucial to human, animal, and plant health. However, the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials are of significant concern regarding to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms. Because of AMR, drug-resistant infections represent an increasing burden to human and animal health and the environment.