Bilateral Meeting with H.E. Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister Of The Republic Of Croatia
07 September 2026, Zagreb: FAO Director-General QU Dongyu met today with H.E. Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, accompanied by H.E. Gordan Grlić Radman, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, during the Director-General’s official visit to Croatia.
The Director-General congratulated Croatia on its remarkable economic progress and commended the country’s steady advancement within areas covered by FAO’s mandate, including agrifood systems transformation, fisheries and aquaculture, supported by consistent governance and long-term investment in rural development. The two sides also reflected on the history of FAO and the common purpose that unites Members in supporting the Organization’s mandate.
The discussion focused on Croatia’s continued development of sustainable agrifood systems and aquaculture, including the significant potential of the Slavonia region, which the Director-General had just visited, for freshwater aquaculture and higher-value agricultural production. The Director-General noted that Croatia’s experience and technical expertise could make an important contribution to FAO’s work globally and encouraged continued active engagement in advancing shared priorities, including environmental sustainability and Croatgren initiatives.
The Prime Minister referred to inflationary pressures arising from recent global crises and their impact on agrifood systems, outlining Croatia’s efforts to support young farmers, improve competitiveness and strengthen preparedness for animal health threats and transboundary diseases. The Prime Minister and the Director-General also discussed the FAO General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) Sub-regional Unit for the Adriatic Sea hosted in Split.
The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs reaffirmed Croatia’s support for FAO’s efforts to rehabilitate agricultural land and restore productive capacity in countries requiring assistance. He also referred to cooperation among Mediterranean countries on sustainable fertilizer use and opportunities to further strengthen technical collaboration, including through the possible secondment of Croatian experts to FAO.
The Director-General referred to the World Food Forum and its three pillars as a leading global platform for dialogue, genersational renewal, innovation and investment in agrifood systems. The meeting closed with all reaffirming their shared commitment to further strengthen collaboration between Croatia and FAO.
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