OTTAWA, ON, - The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, concluded a productive outreach to the United Kingdom and Germany, wrapping up a week of meetings and events. The focus of the trip was to reaffirm Canada's commitment to deepening and diversifying agriculture trade, promoting Canadian agriculture products and sustainable global food trade and security.
Throughout the outreach, Minister Bibeau took part in conversations with her international counterparts and stakeholders, where she reinforced Canada's role as a reliable and indispensable trading partner and discussed opportunities for enhanced cooperation in the agricultural sector.
While in London, Minister Bibeau met with The Honourable Ralph Goodale, High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom (UK) to discuss Canada-UK agriculture trade. She also provided remarks at the International Grains Council (IGC) Grains Forum, where she reaffirmed Canada's support for Ukraine's agricultural sector and the Black Sea Initiative, and called for further stability in the global grains value chain.
Minister Bibeau also joined a stakeholder roundtable with agriculture and food and drink associations in the UK, where she reaffirmed Canada's role as a key trading partner for the UK and discussed key issues facing the sector.
In Berlin, Minister Bibeau joined a number of her counterparts at the Berlin Agriculture Ministers' Conference 2023, part of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA). The meeting convened 64 ministers and representatives from around the world to discuss how food systems can best respond to multiple crises. She reiterated Canada's condemnation of Russia's illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine in creating global food security problems.
During the meeting, Minister Bibeau also stressed the importance of sustainable agriculture, highlighting recent actions and investments in Canada's agriculture sector; as well as the importance of open, predictable and transparent agricultural trade. She also reaffirmed that increasing productivity and leveraging innovative ideas to support farmers is essential, and that the contribution of women, youth and Indigenous peoples is vital for agricultural growth.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Minister Bibeau was invited by Germany's Minister of Food and Agriculture, Cem Özdemir, to join him in the press conference and share her insights given her role as co-chair of the recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Agriculture Ministers' Meeting.
The Berlin Ministers' Conference also released a Final Communiqué stressing the need to respond to global crisis in agriculture, including:
- Creating sustainable and resilient food systems;
- Fostering climate-friendly food systems;
- Promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and
- Improving collaboration for sustainable global food systems.
To finish the day, Minister Bibeau took part in a side event "Pathway towards strengthening and resilience of food systems in Ukraine" hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine. The meeting was to discuss strategic visions for facilitating the recovery of Ukraine's food systems.
The Government of Canada will continue to work with international partners and organizations to support a coordinated response to global food security concerns, allowing for Canadian producers and processors to bring more of their products to the global market.
Source : Newswire.ca