Malaysia urges global institutions to reject use of hunger as weapon of war
Mohamad referred to Pope Leo XIV's message to the conference, in which the pontiff strongly condemned the use of hunger as a weapon of war, in an apparent reference to conflicts such as in Gaza.
"We echoed that message, because the credibility of international bodies is increasingly being undermined by the dominance of unipolar powers," he said.
He added that the conference had called on the United Nations to reassert its leadership role.
"Food security must rise above all political conflict," Mohamad stressed.
Nonetheless, he said cooperation between nations remains strong despite differing political views.
"For example, between Malaysia and India, when we faced rice shortages, we only had to meet with their ambassador, and they quickly found ways to assist.
"Our Prime Minister, during his visit to India, also expressed his gratitude," he said.
Mohamad added that such efforts must now be strengthened in light of emerging challenges such as extreme weather and climate change, which can disrupt global food supply chains.
On the sidelines of the conference, Mohamad also held informal bilateral discussions with other countries.
"They have proposed that we host a regional-level FAO conference in Kuala Lumpur. That will depend on further discussions, including financial considerations and other logistical matters," he said.
Mohamad is part of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's delegation currently undertaking a series of official visits to three countries, Italy, France and Brazil, beginning July 1.
This initiative is part of Malaysia's ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and promote global economic cooperation.
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