FAO Regional Building for Latin America and the Caribbean reopens with more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable facilities

The Regional Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for Latin America and the Caribbean inaugurated the remodeling of its building in Santiago de Chile to achieve greater resource efficiency, including solar panels and an efficient irrigation system, reflecting FAO's commitment to environmental sustainability and inclusive development in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

The facilities, which suffered damage after earthquakes in 2010 and 2015, now incorporate 37 trees, 357 shrubs, 330 vines, and ground covers of native species. These are estimated to achieve a carbon sequestration of 4.8 tons in 10 years and 9.6 tons in 20 years. 

The photovoltaic project includes the installation of 178 panels that will generate 88 kWh once in operation. In this first stage, 52 panels were installed, generating approximately 25 kWh. 

The renovation of the building, which began in January 2024, was undertaken to improve the Organization's facilities capacity and operational efficiency, thus aligning the region with the efforts of FAO headquarters and other FAO offices. 

The inaugural ceremony was attended by the Director-General of FAO, Qu Dongyu; the Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative, Mario Lubetkin; the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs; the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Álvaro Lario; the Minister of Agriculture of Chile, Esteban Valenzuela; the former President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet; current and former officials of the United Nations; representatives of the diplomatic corps in Chile; and the virtual participation of the Minister of Agriculture of Guyana, President of the 38th Regional Conference of the FAO, Mustapha Zulfikar, on behalf of the 33 countries of the region. 

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu welcomed the important changes made to the building and highlighted the commitment of the Latin America and the Caribbean office to advance an FAO that promotes the Organization's values from within. "This remodeling is good news for everyone." 

Chile's Minister of Agriculture, Esteban Valenzuela, said the renovation of the building was "testimony to FAO's renewed commitment to Chile in matters of food security, food and nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean." 

"This is a dream we had a long time ago, which was to transform this place into a friendly and safe building, a building up to the circumstances and challenges of FAO. But it is much more than that; it links us to the effort that the FAO director general is making in remodeling all the offices to make them more inclusive and sustainable," Mario Lubetkin assured us during the inauguration. 

The Minister of Agriculture of Guyana and President of the 38th Regional Conference of the FAO, Mustapha Zulfikar, reaffirmed the fundamental role that FAO plays in promoting international cooperation and collaboration for food security and the sustainability of agriculture.