Addis Ababa, 29 July 2025 — Ambassador Berik Aryn, Director General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), participated in the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS+4), held from 27–29 July in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the invitation of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. The high-level gathering brought together world leaders, UN agency heads, regional organizations, and key stakeholders from government, the private sector, and civil society to accelerate progress toward resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems.
In a video message at the opening of the Summit, Secretary-General Guterres warned of the rising global hunger crisis and called for urgent collective action to ensure that food systems are equitable, climate-resilient, and rooted in human rights. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also addressed the plenary, highlighting the need for coordinated investment in agriculture, fair trade rules, and access to technology.
In this context, Ambassador Aryn held a series of high-level bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Summit to strengthen cooperation and advance IOFS’s strategic agenda. He met with H.E. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahhak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates; H.E. Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan; H.E. Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen AlFadley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; H.E. Majnun Mammadov, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan; and H.E. Samat Nasirdinov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic.
On the second day of his working visit to Addis Ababa, Ambassador Aryn visited the headquarters of the African Union Commission and met with H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the Commission. He was accompanied by Mr. Saleh Lootah, CEO of the International Islamic Food Processing Association (IFPA), during this and other key engagements. During the meeting, the IOFS Director General formally expressed the Organization’s interest in deepening collaboration with the African Union. He emphasized the importance of institutional coordination, noting that 25 AU Member States are also members of IOFS.
Ambassador Aryn underlined that IOFS’s mission, focused on food security governance, regional food reserves, investment mobilization, and climate-smart agriculture, closely aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions a prosperous, food-secure, and self-reliant Africa driven by inclusive growth and sustainable development. The two sides discussed areas of mutual priority, including agricultural investment, food system resilience, and capacity-building across Member States. Ambassador Aryn reiterated IOFS’s readiness to support African-led initiatives and contribute meaningfully to the AU’s efforts toward achieving food sovereignty and continental integration.
By actively engaging in this year’s UNFSS+4, IOFS reaffirms its commitment to global food security, multilateral cooperation, and regional partnerships in addressing the interconnected challenges facing food systems today.
