Mr. President,

I’m delivering this speech on behalf of List E countries.

We welcome significant WFP contribution in improving food security and nutrition situation in Tajikistan. However, despite positive economic growth and progress in poverty reduction in the recent years, Tajikistan still faces multiple challenges including socio-economic and environmental issues. The highest malnutrition rate in Central Asia speaks for itself. The number of undernourished people has remained unchanged over the last decade. It comes as consequence to soil degradation and poor natural resource management. At the same time Tajikistan is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change that has undermined food security and worsened the livelihoods of vulnerable communities.

The countries within our List note with appreciation that the Tajikistan CSP is mainly oriented at achieving Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 17 through WFP’s Strategic Results 1 (access to food), 2 (end malnutrition), 4 (sustainable food systems) and 5 (capacity strengthening) and will contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4, on quality education. It also correlates with the National Development Strategy priorities of the Government of Tajikistan. We are confident that it will help to increase the country’s capacity to reduce food insecurity and undernutrition. Implementation of such policies is a guarantee of enhancing long-term resilience and managing productive safety nets.

We particularly welcome the nutrition and school feeding components under the Tajikistan CSP. We are convinced providing daily hot meals to children in primary grades in food-insecure rural areas foreseen by this CSP will positively affect school attendance level.

Given the fact that agriculture employs almost 70 percent of the labor force of the country, with most agricultural output produced on small household plots. We encourage the WFP to continue supporting small farming and strengthening the communities’ rate of productivity which will lead to building a strong supply chain and enhance resilience of the food-insecure households. We also emphasize the necessity to involve women in the WFP initiatives in Tajikistan Republic to promote economic empowerment of rural women.

The theme of Inter-Agency coordination remains crucial at the stage of field activities. Fostering contacts with the local NGOs and UN partners is a guarantee of a well-coordinated work aimed at achieving better results.

We consider the presented document as a decent platform for WFP action to meet existing challenges in the country. We extend our support to the respective CSP for the Tajikistan.

Thank you, Mr. President.