Phil Hogan

Ireland’s Candidate for Director General of the @FAO

[Fine Gael Brussels @FineGaelBrux]

We fully back Phil Hogan for Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation 🌱

You can read more about his priorities here:
https://t.co/1GEMNObrij

[Ireland in Brazil @irlandanobrasil]

Hoje, a Ministra das Relações Exteriores e Comércio, Helen McEntee, lançou oficialmente a campanha de Phil Hogan para o cargo de Diretor-Geral da ONU para a Alimentação e a Agricultura (FAO). 🇮🇪🌾

[Phil Hogan @PhilHoganIRL]

During the event, I highlighted my five key priorities, along with a vision of an FAO that ends hunger, where farmers and rural communities lead the transformation of our agrifood systems, and where food security underpins global peace, stability and prosperity.

You can view my priorities here: https://t.co/uuNujb5Dck

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this launch such a success.

[Phil Hogan @PhilHoganIRL]

Today, I launched my campaign for Director-General of the @FAO at the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin. I am extremely grateful to Minister @HMcEntee and Minister @martinheydonfg for speaking at the launch, and to Ministers @timmydooley, Noel Grealish, @NiallCollinsTD, and @nealerichmond for attending.

[Phil Hogan @PhilHoganIRL]

I’m delighted to join the Ambassador of Ireland to Australia, Fiona Flood, and the Irish delegation in Fiji this week for pre-COP31. The aim of pre-COP is to increase the visibility of island nations on the frontline of climate change impacts.

Throughout the week, I had some engaging meetings with:​

@MarkBrownPM, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands

Hon.Dalton Tagelagi (@PremierNiue), Prime Minister of Niue

Moefaauouo Julius Ah Kui Tafunai, Minister for Women, Community and Social Development, Samoa

@WBHoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth​

The Pacific does not need lectures on climate change and how best to respond to it. Promoting climate-resilient food systems is not an abstraction here, but a matter of survival. Farmers and fishers must be the architects of the response to the climate crisis, and not simply become its most immediate victims.

[Phil Hogan @PhilHoganIRL]

I recently travelled to Singapore where I met with HE Siow Huang Gan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Trade and Industry of Singapore (@MFAsg).​ Few countries depend on open markets as much as Singapore.

Its merchandise trade reached $1.4 trillion in 2025, and total trade is worth more than three times its GDP. With only about 1% of its land available for food production, Singapore imports over 90% of its food from more than 180 countries.​

During our meeting, I highlighted how Ireland and Singapore both know the importance of open markets, common rules and strong UN institutions that keep our shelves stocked. Thank you, Minister, for taking the time to meet with me.

[Phil Hogan @PhilHoganIRL]

This week, I joined Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, @martinheydonfg, for the inauguration of the Ireland Meitheal Room at the @FAO headquarters in Rome. The Meitheal Room will allow delegations to collaborate on tackling international food and agricultural challenges together.

The inauguration also took place during the FAO’s Global Conference for Actions on One Health in Agrifood Systems, where Minister Heydon gave a keynote speech at the opening session. It was great to see such a strong Irish representation in Rome for the conference.

[Phil Hogan @PhilHoganIRL]

During my visit to East Africa earlier this month, I met with Zainab Hawa Bangura (@ZainabHawa), the Under-Secretary-General and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (@ODG_UNON). As part of the meeting, we discussed the importance of the UN80 Initiative, which aims to build a simpler, more effective and more coherent UN system that delivers better for people and the planet. Thank you, Ms. Bangura for taking the time to meet me.

[Phil Hogan @PhilHoganIRL]

As part of my East Africa visit this month, I travelled to Kigali to attend the @TheAGRF. Rwanda’s decision to host this milestone 20th edition of the forum underscores its growing role as a regional and continental convener and catalyst for multilateral action on sustainable food systems development. I was delighted to meet with some key representatives at the event including:

H.E. Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe (@onduhungirehe), Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda

Hon Desiree Muhooza, Minister of State for Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries of Uganda (@MAAIF_Uganda)

Hon Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka (@hmkpaka), Minister of Agriculture and Food Security of Sierra Leone

Hon Roza Fatch Mbilizi, Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development of Malawi (@MalawiGovt)

During my visit, I was also welcomed to Twongere Umusaruro wa Kawa (TUK), which is a women-led coffee farming cooperative located in the Kayonza District of Eastern Rwanda. Thank you to Ms. Mags Gaynor (@IEAmbUganda), Ambassador of Ireland to Uganda and Rwanda, for accompanying me.

[Phil Hogan @PhilHoganIRL]

Earlier this month, I travelled to Kenya as part of my visit to East Africa, where I engaged directly with farmers, policymakers, food businesses, innovators and development partners about the opportunities and challenges facing the East African agrifood sector.

During my time in Kenya, I visited the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (@kalromkulima) and met dairy farmers from Muchai Farm, and the Tulaga Farmers’ Cooperative Society.

[Embassy of Ireland @IrlEmbKenya]

Mr. Phil Hogan visited Tulaga Farmers’ Cooperative Society, where he witnessed how 3,500 members benefit from collective action, accessing knowledge, markets, and value addition through their milk processing facility.

[Embassy of Ireland @IrlEmbKenya]

Mr. Phil Hogan visited and interacted with farmers who received training through the Kenya-Ireland Dairy Partnership. He saw how research is translated into practical solutions that boost productivity and resilience.

[Embassy of Ireland @IrlEmbKenya]

We were pleased to host Mr. Phil Hogan in Kenya. Joined by the Embassy team, he visited KALRO Dairy Research Institute (DRI). Through collaboration with @teagasc and partners, KALRO is driving innovation in forage development and dairy genetics to support smallholder farmers.