Minister Heydon at the AU-EU Agriculture Ministerial Conference in Rome
- Published on: 27 June 2025
- Last updated on: 27 June 2025
Minister Martin Heydon, TD, will today participate in the 6th African Union-European Union Agriculture Ministerial Conference, at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome.
The conference brings together Ministers of Agriculture from across Africa and the EU, as well as representatives from international organisations, to strengthen collaboration.
Commenting in advance of the conference, Minister Heydon said:
“Ireland is committed to supporting enhanced cooperation between the European Union and African Union (AU), particularly in the context of the AU’s Kampala Declaration and the EU’s Vision for Agriculture and Food. Building resilient, sustainable agri-food systems are central to this objective, particularly in addressing the twin challenges of climate change and food security.”
During the conference, Minister Heydon will be a panellist in a side event “Supporting science-to-policy for sustainable agri-food systems across Europe and Africa”, which will explore the importance of using data and research to inform policy and support agri-food system transformation.
Highlighting the importance of building stronger bridges between science and policymaking, Minister Heydon noted:
“Research, innovation, and access to high-quality data are essential tools in designing smarter policies. Through networks like the Pan-African Network for economic Analysis of Policies, we can learn from each other and co-create solutions that serve farmers, rural communities, and consumers on both continents.”
The afternoon plenary session of the Ministerial Conference will bring together all AU and EU Agriculture Ministers to reflect on the day’s discussions and agree next steps to enhance cooperation and partnerships between the African Union and the European Union.
While in Rome Minister Heydon will also hold bi-lateral meetings with the FAO Director General QU Dongyu, the Ministers of Agriculture from Senegal and South Africa, the AU commission, and representatives from the Global Network Against Food Crises, with whom the Department has recently partnered.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- 6th AU-EU Agriculture Ministerial Conference
- Pan-African Network for economic Analysis of Policies (PANAP) https://datam.jrc.ec.europa.eu/datam/area/PANAP?rdr=1750794110687
- Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC)
https://www.fightfoodcrises.net/
- Kampala Declaration
https://unfccc.int/kampala-ministerial-declaration-on-migration-environment-and-climate-change
- EU Vision for Agriculture and Food
https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/overview-vision-agriculture-food/vision-agriculture-and-food_en