ROME – The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) announced on Thursday that it would be hosting the 41^st session of its Governing Council annual meeting over two days next week, featuring addresses from heads-of-state and international personalities.

 IFAD noted that the meeting, which will take place between Feb 13 and 14, would focus on solutions to the “rising tide of people living increasingly fragile situations” and that speakers would “discuss how investing in sustainable rural livelihoods is central to peacebuilding, state-building and social stability around the world.”

 Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh will give the keynote address during the opening session and António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, will speak via video link.

 Other events will feature the likes of Monty Patrick Jones, Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Helder da Costa, General Secretary of G7+ Secretariat and J.J. Messner, Executive Director of The Fund for Peace. IFAD said that they will address “how issues of fragility, including economic instability, can lead to migration and conflict, which further exacerbate hunger and poverty.”

 Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria will attend, alongside Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa's Development Agency.

 A panel will also discuss “the importance of investing in rural youth with representatives of youth organizations.”

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