Bilateral Meeting with H.E. Halla Tómasdóttir, President of Iceland
15 October 2025, Reykjavík: On the occasion of his official visit to Iceland, the Director-General held a bilateral meeting with Her Excellency Halla Tómasdóttir, President of Iceland.
President Tómasdóttir welcomed the Director-General opened the meeting by sharing Iceland’s goals for sustainability and expressed particular interest in the role of food systems in advancing global sustainability.
The Director-General conveyed appreciation for the warm welcome and went on to describe FAO’s key focus on the sustainable transformation of global agrifood systems through its Strategic Framework 2022-31 and institutional innovations, including the establishment of the FAO Youth and Women’s Committees and the Office of Youth and Women.
President Tómasdóttir expressed her concern for the challenges faced by women and girls globally, while also recognizing their potential as key agents of change, and she thanked the Director-General for his leadership during these challenging times.
The Director-General informed the President of FAO’s upcoming 80th anniversary, noting that Iceland was one of its 36 founding members. He commended Iceland’s pioneering role in ocean governance over those 80 years, advancing the regulation of fisheries and marine resources, and underscored the importance of Iceland’s expertise which it has shared generously.
The Director-General also briefed the President on the FAO World Food Forum, a global platform held every October, to coincide with World Food Day on 16 October annually, which engages youth, scientists, investors and policymakers in shaping the future of agrifood systems and accelerating transformation.
The President highlighted Iceland’s potential in geothermal energy and the transformative possibilities of algae and seaweed. The Director-General agreed and referred to the impressive examples of innovation and transformation which he had observed during his field visits in Iceland.
The meeting concluded with a shared goal to continue to advance sustainable agrifood systems, leveraging Iceland’s unique strengths in marine innovation, renewable energy, and gender-inclusive development.
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