Türkiye puts forward UN FAO leader candidate with global food security vision

Türkiye’s nominee for director-general of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Mehdi Eker, is accelerating his diplomatic campaign to share Ankara’s vision to resolve the world’s deepening food security issues.

Eker told Anadolu that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan sought support for Türkiye’s candidacy during various meetings, securing direct talks and support pledges from around 100 of the 193 UN member states.

“Some 645 million people are going hungry worldwide, while 1.4 billion are obese, and 2.3 billion do not have enough food on their plates,” he said, noting that the world produces enough food for 11 billion people.

“There’s something wrong here — the issue of food security is one of global security, and ensuring global security will be very difficult so long as this is not resolved,” he added.

Eker stated that food shortages can lead to population displacement and migration, while Türkiye’s approach is based on safeguarding food as a fundamental human right.

“Food is weaponized against people in Gaza, against children — this brutality, this oppression, must somehow come to an end, and the right to food must not be violated,” he said.

“Türkiye’s perspective, approach, understanding of humanity, and vision of civilization will be reflected in the governance of this organization,” he added.

Eker noted that mitigating these humanitarian crises requires stabilizing vulnerable agricultural supply routes across the Black Sea Basin, the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.

He stated that the UN FAO has three core functions, starting with strengthening global agricultural standards via the international Food Codex and expanding the organization’s statistical network.

The second core function is providing technical assistance and advisory services to developing countries, while Eker’s agenda for the organization focuses on providing these gains through projects to reduce food waste and combat animal diseases threatening human health.

The third function is combating global hunger, where the UN FAO plays an active role. Eker said fulfilling this role is linked to the organization’s sound management.

“This is a matter of humanity, the future of humanity — it’s impossible for the world to function and move forward amid such oppression, darkness, and brutality, when food is weaponized against vulnerable populations like children, women, and the elderly, who are dying of hunger,” he noted.

“As Türkiye, we believe the UN FAO, like all other UN agencies, will be engaged in more effective, efficient, and beneficial work for humanity,” he added.

UN FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu’s second term will expire in 2027.

Angola, Italy, Spain, and Ireland put forward their candidates for this position.

The new director-general will be elected in Rome next summer to serve the organization from 2027 to 2031.