Launch of FAO Project Dashboard Opening Remarks

Excellencies,

Dear Colleagues,

Good afternoon.

I’m very pleased to be opening this launch and information sharing session on FAO’s new Project Dashboard.

This is in line with my commitment to strengthen accountability, integrity and transparency in the Organization, and my vision of the new Digital FAO.

As you know, from my first day as Director-General, these have been high priorities for me.

And this dashboard is another step in that direction.

This is also what you have been asking for – greater transparency and accessibility in the use of resources in FAO projects.

We have been working hard over the last year to build this high-quality dashboard for you to use, and based on your discussions at Council just last week, I think you will find it to be a valuable tool.

It will help you – our Members, our donors and other partners – to be able to easily track funding flows and connections between resources, projects and thematic areas.

You will see today that the dashboard enables users to view and analyze project data by recipient or country destination, by donor, as well as by the Four Betters and the SDGs.

It has been a team effort to develop this important tool, under the coordination of DDG Beth Bechdol, and I want to thank my colleagues for the great teamwork!

We will continue to refine and improve the dashboard as more of you actively use it – it is a work in progress.

You will be able to access the dashboard directly from the front page of the FAO website via a new Transparency Portal, which is available to everyone.

I am very much appreciative to my staff across various units who have made it available through a big teamwork. I look forward to your constructive feedback to help us further improve.

Thank you.