Swaziland's new Deputy Prime Minister hails from FAO

12 November 2008, Rome - Themba N. Masuku, until recently Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York, has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Swaziland.

Masuku, Swaziland's former Minister of Finance, directed liaison activities with the United Nations from 1 January to 30 October 2008. Previously, he was Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva for 10 years, bringing with him years of technical, business and governmental experience.

"Themba Masuku's role with FAO as Director of the Liaison Office in New York, and before that, Geneva, will be sorely missed," FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf said. "He made thoughtful and informed contributions to the ongoing fight to reduce world hunger and increase investment in agriculture," FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf said.

Masuku holds a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Mechanization from the University of Missouri, Columbia, USA. Over the past three decades, he has held various positions with the Government of Swaziland and private agricultural interests.

In 1991, Masuku was appointed Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives of the Government of Swaziland. He subsequently became Minister for Economic Planning and Development in 1993 and then Minister for Finance in 1996.

"Swaziland is one of the countries where FAO is working to mitigate the impact of higher food and fuel prices and a high rate of HIV infection on the ability of hundreds of thousands of poor families to produce food and improve their livelihoods," Diouf said.

"We look forward to continuing our collaboration with our former colleague in his new capacity," he added.