Rome, September 2, AZERTAC

Vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UN Food and Agriculture Organization Leyla Aliyeva has today met FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva at the headquarters of the organization in Rome.

The meeting was preceded by presentations and discussions about the activity of the organization with the participation of FAO Goodwill Ambassador Leyla Aliyeva. Director of the FAO office for corporate communications Enrique Yeves hailed Leyla Aliyeva`s participation at the event.

The sides spoke of the FAO and its missions, as well as the organization`s partnership, resource mobilization program in Azerbaijan and in the region.

Goodwill Ambassador Leyla Aliyeva was informed about the conditions created in the headquarters for employees.

Vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva then met with FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva.

The Director-General hailed the activity of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and stressed the importance of the IDEA Public Union`s environmental projects. He highlighted successes that Azerbaijan has achieved in last years, and recalled his Azerbaijan trip and meetings with President Ilham Aliyev and president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva. He noted that President Ilham Aliyev visited the headquarters of the organization during his official trip to Italy in 2014. The Director-General underlined work carried out in Azerbaijan towards reducing poverty could be example for other countries. "Poverty rate has been reduced to 5 percent in Azerbaijan," he said.

Vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva spoke of the "successful development" of cooperation between Azerbaijan and FAO, and highlighted projects implemented in Azerbaijan towards ensuring food safety. She noted that the agriculture was rapidly developing in Azerbaijan in last years. Ms. Leyla Aliyeva also spoke of the humanitarian activity of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, its projects covering various countries, and the activity of the IDEA Public Union. She also stressed the necessity of supporting youth activity under FAO projects.

Azerbaijan has been a member of the FAO since 1995. The Project Coordination Office of the organization has operated in the country since 2007. The FAO Liaison and Partnership office was recently launched in Azerbaijan.

The Director-General expressed gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and his spouse Mehriban Aliyeva for their efforts towards the opening of the office. He stressed the office made contribution to the development of relations between the country and the organization.

Then, an official ceremony to mark the start of activity of vice-president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva as FAO Goodwill Ambassador was held.

Leyla Aliyeva was awarded the title of a FAO Goodwill Ambassador for her activities in humanitarian and environmental areas.

Then Leyla Aliyeva was interviewed by the media center of the FAO, and also viewed the organization`s library.

Magsud Dadashov

Special Correspondent

Rome