11/09/2026
H E the Ambassador and PR to the FAO Satya Rodrigo participated in the deliberations of the 37th of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) and delivered the Joint Statement on behalf of the Asia Regional Group (ARG) on adaptation and mitigation of fisheries and aquaculture to climate change, including extreme events. At the outset, he expressed condolences on behalf of the Group to the government and people of Nepal for the tragic loss of lives and destruction of property caused by the recent devastating floods. He informed the meeting that such unprecedented events are a stark reminder for us to take necessary measures to strengthen preparedness, early warning systems, and resilience against disasters that may be difficult to anticipate.
He emphasized Asia's significant contribution to global fisheries and aquaculture production, accounting for 72% of global production, and noted the important role of aquatic foods across the region. He highlighted that, at the same time, the region remains highly exposed to climate-related hazards, making strengthened adaptation and resilience particularly important. He encouraged the FAO to expand its engagement with Asia and requested that it ensure Asia's inland fisheries, freshwater ecosystems, and aquatic food value chains are adequately reflected in future reporting, vulnerability assessments, capacity development, field-level initiatives, and climate-finance support.
