FAO set to elect New Director General in June

Why does it matter?

1. FAO, is an UN institution. Therefore its actions have a global impact.

2. Recently FAO had shown more openness to deal with issues critical for those most impacted by hunger and malnutrition, and has been a leader in developing guidance on the use and implementation of the right to adequate food

3. FAO will continue to play a key role in all matters of policy and technical solutions ahead of the “zero hunger” benchmark set in the 2030 agenda.

4. Global hunger and malnutrition are on the rise, climate change and environmental destruction among others are also increasing. It is the Director-General´s job is to navigate through this challenges.

Who are the candidates?

Four candidates have been nominated by UN Member States (alphabetical order by country).

China:
Qu Dongyu, China’s Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

France:
Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, Under Secretary of State, General Directorate for the Economic and Environmental Performance of Enterprises (DGPE); Previously Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

Georgia:
Davit Kirvalidze, currently an Adviser to the Prime Minister of Georgia and a Member of the Board of Directors of a US-based, international, non-profit organization 'Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)’; served two terms as a Minister of Agriculture, as well as a Chairman of the Agrarian Issues Committee of the Parliament

India:
Ramesh Chand, National Institution for Transforming India, also called NITI Aayog

The process:

- April 8-12: Candidate interviews held during the FAO Council session.

- June 22-29: Final election and announcement of the new Director General during the FAO Conference

* Member states will cast their vote on a one country-one vote basis. Only simple majority is require for a valid outcome.

* The next Director-General of FAO will be appointed for a period of four years (from 1/08/2019 to 31/07/2023) and will be eligible for one additional mandate of four years.

What to do?

There is not a formal space for CSO to interact with candidates within the official process.

Nonetheless, we believe that as Civil Society Organizations (including social movements and indigenous peoples) we are entitled to know what the candidates´ stands are on the issues that worry the most to those who acutely experience hunger and malnutrition.

So we are launching a campaing in social media to make our voices heard:

1. Share your question with the hashtag     #AskFAO and contribute with the discussion.
2. Share and like our posts in     Twitter and Facebook.