Martin Selmayr

The escalation of Russia’s war of aggression in the Black Sea and its impact on global food security was the subject of engaged discussions on the 🇺🇳UN’s #WorldFoodDay 2026 in Rome. The 🇪🇺EU and 56 other Members of the Rome-based UN Organisations teamed up to urge joint action by @FAO, @WFP and @IFAD to help preventing yet another global food crisis. During a side-event at @FAO, the focus was on key operational measures, some of which are already being taken, while others are urgently needed and require international support. 1/6

The EU Heads of Missions to the 🇺🇳UN in Rome met this morning in #VillaEuropa🇪🇺 to prepare and coordinate their positions for the upcoming meetings of the @WFP Executive Board, the @FAO Council and the @IFAD Executive Board. The escalation of Russia’s war of aggression in the Black Sea and its consequences for global food security are a top priority for our common work, and we welcomed the strong conclusions on the Black Sea agreed during the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in Paris that was also attended in parts by the new @WFPChief Luke Lindberg. We also exchanged information and views on the leadership renewal at @FAO, a UN Organisation that is of strategic interest to the European Union. It was a great pleasure to welcome for the first time my new colleague Momchil Ninov, 🇧🇬Bulgaria’s designate Permanent Representative to the UN in Rome, as part of our TeamEurope. I look forward to our close cooperation in the interest of global food security!

Ahead of next week‘s Executive Board meeting of the UN‘s World Food Programme @WFP in Rome, the 🇪🇺European Union Board Members met for a strategic exchange of views on our joint expectations with regard to the new leadership of @WFP @WFPChief, the central role of @WFP in UN reform, supply chain management and better cooperation between the Rome-based UN Organisations. We also discussed the importance of an active role of @WFP in restoring progressively freedom of navigation in the Black Sea for agrifood exports. Thanks to my great colleagues for inspriring discussions and common sense of purpose!

Good and informative meeting with Inga Skujiņa, Head of the Security Policy and International Organisations Directorate of 🇱🇻Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs @Latvian_MFA, and my great colleague Ambassador Elita Gavele @Latvia_Italy together with her Deputy Aelita Čākure. Latvia’s experienced multilateral team is a very efficient and reliable member of our #TeamEurope🇪🇺 in Rome. We discussed the need to step up support for Ukraine at the 🇺🇳UN in Rome as well as the challenging leadership renewal at the Rome-based UN Organisations @WFP @IDAD and @FAO, where we continue to work on a single EU candidate. Thanks a lot for your visit to #VillaEuropa🇪🇺, Inga, Elita and Aelita!

Strategic Dialogue between the 🇪🇺European Union and the 🇺🇳UN’s World Food Programme in Brussels: with @RaniabtBakhita, WFP’s impressive and experienced Assistant Executive Director, and her excellent team, we addressed the strategic priorities of our joint humanitarian work in times of increasing humanitarian needs and decreasing public resources worldwide. We discussed notably the deteriorating situation in Sudan, Lebanon and Gaza, our humanitarian work in Chad, the urgent need of restoring freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and in the Strait of Hormuz, the effectiveness of cash as preferred instrument of funding humanitarian assistance, and the importance of school meals for a healthy diet, inclusive education and gender equality. In these volatile geopolitical times, humanitarian diplomacy is more important than ever before. We agreed that food must never be a weapon, and that it is a global responsability to eradicate hunger and famines. Humanitarian workers must never be attacked, and those who do so should be held accountable. The European Union is and will remain a reliable, predictable partner of WFP. Thanks to all colleagues from @eu_echo @HansDasEU, @EU_Partnerships, @eu_enlargement_, @EU4MENAGulf, @eu_eeas who prepared, led and joined our very constructive conversation. #Multilateralism