CFC receives Deputy Director Protocol of the Netherlands MFA
H.E. Mr. Hans Akerboom, Deputy Director at the Protocol and Host Country Affairs Department of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is seen with Managing Director Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal at the Secretariat of the CFC. Ambassador Akerboom came to the CFC, for the first time, to know more about the activities of the CFC and its impact on the ground.
Ambassador Akerboom was accompanied by Mr. Roel van Oosten-Quené, Policy Officer at the Ministry. Ambassador Belal was accompanied by Ms. Fatima-Zohra Yaagoub, Impact Strategy Officer of the CFC.
During the discussion, following an introductory presentation on CFC, Ambassador Belal briefed Ambassador Akerboom on the current as well as probable future initiatives of the CFC, inter alia the ongoing initiative on the formulation of a fund titled Agricultural Commodity Transformation (ACT) Fund (formerly referred to as ‘CIIF’) and thereby enabling CFC to contribute more for alleviation of poverty. Once formed, the ACT Fund could also be an avenue for member countries to join this impact investment fund as anchor investors.
Highlighting the ongoing challenges following the enduing pandemic, war in Ukraine and challenges of climate change, Ambassador Belal shared the realities of the developing world which suffers most of the vulnerabilities. Ambassador Belal requested Ambassador Akerboom to bring much needed focus on the issues of sustainability and its importance for global food and nutrition security to the discussions in international fora.
Ambassador Akerboom with his significant experience from his diplomatic tenure in developing countries like Afghanistan, Yemen (on which he authored a book), Ethiopia, Iraq, Angola and also Singapore, is conversant on sustainability issues and expressed support for the CFC to continue its work in the developing world. He was briefed on the activities of CFC, with its base in the innovation rich Netherlands, and informed how CFC has been working as a bridge between the developed and developing world to bridge the gap of knowledge and technology. CFC sought further support so that more technological innovations in the Agri commodity sector could be brought to the farm field of smallholders using relevant Dutch organizations. Ambassador Akerboom appreciated the idea.
Ambassador Belal assured to pursue more innovative outreaches in the days to come to make the services of CFC available to as many people as possible in the commodity dependent developing world as poverty and hunger are regrettably showing a reversing trend globally.
