President to address FAO conference in Rome

COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived at the Leonado Da Vinci Airport in Rome yesterday morning to attend the World Food and Agriculture Organisation Heads of State conference at FAO Headquarters in Rome.

The President was welcomed at the airport by Sri Lanka Ambassador in Italy Hemantha Warnakulasuriya and officials of the Sri Lanka Embassy and the Food and Agriculture organisation.

The FAO Heads of State Conference due to start at FAO headquarters in Rome today will continue till June 5.

Over 3,000 high level delegates including Heads of State of 93 countries will attend this summit.

President Rajapaksa is due to address the conference today, the inaugural day.

Topics such as the escalation of world food prices, food security, challenges posed by climatic change and problems encountered due to the use of food for energy generation are high on the agenda at the conference.