1. The Eighty-second session of the Council was held in
2. The agenda and timetable of the session, with amendments, were adopted unanimously.The agenda as adopted is given in Appendix A to this report.
3. The Council elected three Vice-Chairmen for its session: S. Hasan Ahmad ( Bangladesh), Mayra Ivankovich de Arosemena (Panama), and W.A.F. Grabisch (Federal Republic of Germany).
4. The Council elected A.G. Ngongi Namanga (Cameroon) as Chairman of the Drafting Committee, and the following as members: Cuba, Egypt, France, Lesotho , New Zealand , Philippines, United States of America.
5. The Council heard a statement by the Director-General in which he reviewed the world economic situation, which he assessed as being in urgent need of major readjustments.He referred to the difficult and daunting economic situation affecting both developed and developing countries. Overall food production in 1981 was better than in the previous two years, but agricultural development continued to be in need of external help.He called for an imaginative new initiative to ensure a more rational and equitable distribution of food.The Director-General also referred to various developments during the course of the year, including the results of the five Regional Conferences, World Food Day activities, and the Rome Declaration on Hunger which was adopted by the World Food Day Colloquium. The Director- General’s statement is given in Appendix D to this report.
6. Following a statement by the Independent Chairman, the Council observed a minute of silence in tribute to Uberto Bozzini, Ambassador of Italy to FAO, who had died in November 1982.
7. A joint tribute was paid by the Director-General and the Council to Juan Felipe Yriart, Special Assistant to the Director-General and recently Deputy Executive Director a.i. of the World Food Programme, and Peter J. Skoufis, Assistant Director-General, Administration and Finance Department, who were leaving the service of the Organization. It expressed deep appreciation for the work they had carried out during their assignments with FAO and, in the case of Mr Yriart, also with the World Food Programme.The Council wished them a very happy retired life.
1 CL 82/l-Rev.l; CL 82/1(a); CL 82/INF/l; CL 82/PV/l; 82/PV/7; CL 82/PV/17.
2 CL 82/PV/l; CL 82/PV/2; CL 82/PV/l7.
3 CL 82/INF/5; CL 82/PV/l; CL 82/PV/l7.
4 CL 82/PV/l; CL 82/PV/17.
5 CL 82/PV/17; CL 82/PV/l9.
