New Permanent Representatives welcomed at 2024 FAO Induction Seminar
Rome – New Permanent Representatives to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), along with their deputies, were welcomed at an induction seminar on Monday.
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu welcomed the newly accredited Permanent Representatives and urged them to “learn together” about the Organization’s history and Programme of Work. The Director-General outlined that Permanent Representatives are the conduit through which FAO Members contribute to the governance of the Organization through their constructive and technical inputs.
Some 95 new Permanent Representatives and Deputy and Alternates have been accredited to FAO since last year’s induction seminar.
The seminar, held in hybrid form comprising in-presence or virtual participation options, includes an overview of FAO’s governance structure, the rules and provisions set out in its Basic Texts, which include the FAO Constitution.
The Director-General also strongly urged Permanent Representatives to study and frequently consult FAO’s Basic Texts as they provide fundamental guidance to the collaboration between the Organization and its Members, in pursuit of its mandate, and the implementation of the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031, with the ultimate objective of ensuring a better future for the world’s farmers and consumers. Several of FAO’s senior management team provided presentations on key areas of work, including ono priority areas such as Land and Water., and participated in Q&A sessions with the Representatives.
Qu urged the diplomats to tap FAO’s staff and resources to learn more about agrifood systems, climate and environmental themes, gender, soil, and water, and more. He emphasized that FAO is an “open-door” organization.
The FAO Regional Ministerial Conferences will be held during the first semester of 2024, a key component of FAO’s governance structure, and the Director-General will travel to the regions to participate in each of the five regional conferences. In addition, the 2024-25 biennium will focus on the theme “water resources management for the Four Betters”, endorsed by the 43rd FAO Ministerial Conference held in July 2023.