Induction Seminar for new Permanent and Alternate Permanent Representatives to FAO 2020

Induction Seminar for new Permanent and Alternate Permanent Representatives to FAO 2020

17 September, 9.30-12.30, Virtual

As prepared

1.    Welcome to all new Permanent and Alternate Permanent Representatives to the Organization.

2.    It is wonderful to see all the new faces, even in a virtual meeting, and to welcome you all here today to this Induction Seminar.

3.    I hope that in the near future we will be able to meet in person.

4.    This is my thirteenth month as Director-General of FAO.

5.    Since starting my term in August 2019, we have experienced many challenges, and introduced significant reforms.

6.    A central change introduced was to increase transparency through open and direct communication: internally, with our Members and beyond that.

7.    This is why we held several meetings with FAO’s Permanent Representatives over the last year. First in person and later virtually.

8.    One of the most inclusive meetings in FAO’s history was a virtual one in April, with all of FAO’s Permanent Representatives, where I provided a briefing on the Organization’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of the pandemic on the food and agriculture sector.

9.    The new FAO is more transparent, inclusive and innovative.

10.    I invite you to familiarize yourself with our revamped web presence, where you can see all my speeches transcribed and available online.

11.    My door is open, and I want to listen to all of your opinions.

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12.    This seminar is very important to open the lines of communication between the Secretariat and the Membership of the Organization.

13.    FAO is a big family, and you are part of that family now.

14.    Your work here, the functions you will perform through the Governing Bodies, is extremely important.

15.    It is indeed a big responsibility.

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16.    The Legal Counsel is here today to provide a briefing on the Basic Texts of the Organization.

17.    The Constitution of FAO, the General Rules of the Organization and its Financial Regulations are crucial for both the Membership and the Secretariat.

18.    We need to study and understand FAO’s mandate, its vision, its mission and the responsibilities of both the Membership and the Secretariat.

19.    The rules and regulations of FAO provide the framework for achieving consensus and making decisions for a better world.

20.    We need to work together, learn together, contribute together; but always coming back to the Basic Texts as the Charter of FAO.

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21.    Today you will also hear from the Independent Chairperson of the Council, Mr Mehboob, who was re-elected by the Conference in 2019.

22.    The position of ICC is important to provide the experienced bridge between the Secretariat and the Membership of the Organization.

23.    His leadership, as Chairperson of the Council, and his informal meetings with the Regional Groups and other consultations, facilitate the exchange of ideas and breed consensus.

24.    That is vital for the continuous improvement in the work of the Organization in the service of its Members.

25.    With him, you will be listening to one of the most experienced personalities when it comes to the Organization, its history and the crucial role you will be playing.

***

26.    When I was elected as Director-General, I promised that I would build a dynamic FAO for a better world, through transparency and accountability.

27.    I have since implemented a number of changes to the Organization, the most recent ones were endorsed by the Council in July 2020.

28.    It is important that the representatives of the Members understand my vision, because they will decide on the policies, programmes and the budget of the Organization through the governance structure of FAO.

29.    In fact, my manifesto outlines in detail what my vision for the Organization is.

30.    But the changes introduced do not mean a new purpose or mandate for FAO.

31.    On the contrary, the new FAO is rooted more than ever before in the original mandate and in the Basic Texts of the Organization.

32.    The driving force behind the changes is my vision of attaining Zero Hunger and improving the livelihoods of people through better production, better nutrition and a better environment for a better life; all the while working towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

33.    The changes aim to make the Organization more agile, allowing for collaboration across different sectors, to cultivate a more modular, dynamic work environment that can respond quickly and effectively to emerging needs and crises.

34.    To do this we need to break down the silos in the Organization that have existed for a very long time.

35.    That is why I have created a co-leadership team with my colleagues, consisting of three Deputy Directors-General (DDGs), the Chief Economist, the Chief Scientist and the Directeur de Cabinet, which supports me in all areas of the Organization’s mandate.

36.    So we lead by example, as a unified team.

***

37.    In January this year, I declared 2020 as the year of efficiency at FAO.

38.    This is not just a slogan: I have put in place many activities and innovations to increase efficiency.

39.    One of these innovations relates to the new ‘Digital FAO’.

40.    Our efforts of digitalization were accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to create new business models.

41.    So we turned a challenge into an opportunity.

42.    COVID-19 has quickened the pace and need to adapt to new ways of working and collaborating.

43.    We have taken big steps towards becoming a digital Organization, one which moves away from the old limited geopolitical thinking, towards collaboration and willingness to share and achieve together.

44.    Our virtual seminar of today is another proof for that.

45.    And we introduced the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, a new business model for collaboration, which uses a broad spectrum of partnerships and leverages the technical and data capacity of the Organization, to have the greatest impact on poverty and hunger.

46.    The Initiative is an innovative way of using and sharing data and science-based analysis to determine where and how actions can be targeted to reach the most vulnerable.

47.    It is bolstered by state-of-the-art tools and technologies: the Geospatial Data Platform and the Data Lab.

48.    The Initiative is country-owned and country-led and prioritizes those countries which are at risk of being left behind, where extreme hunger and poverty are increasing. This includes Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Least Developed Land-Locked Countries (LLDCs), as well as those facing severe challenges in confronting the COVID-19 pandemic.

49.    I am pleased to say that many Members are already engaging with the Initiative, and so far we have started implementing in 15 countries.

50.    FAO needs to play a central coordination role, globally and at country-level, which is more visible, tangible and deliverable in the aftermath of the pandemic.

51.    I hope you will enjoy the rest of this seminar and the various briefings on the work of the Organization, its governance architecture, and its future plans.

52.    I am counting on your input, your cooperation and your dedication to our common goals and look forward to working with all of you.

53.    May our joint achievements in the coming years be a source of pride for all of us in the future!

Thank you.