China’s Agricultural Deputy Minister Elected as New Head of FAO
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – China’s agricultural deputy minister Qu Dongyu was elected as the new director general of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
He will succeed José Graziano da Silva from Brazil for a 4-year term.
Qu Dongyu received a total of 108 votes out of 191 cast, constituting a majority in the first round.
The election took place during the 41st session of the FAO Conference (22-29 June 2019), the highest governing body of the Organization.
The 194 member countries, convened at the FAO’s headquarters in Rome for the agency’s 41st conference, were picking the new director general on Sunday among three candidates from China, France and Georgia who all have extensive experience in the sector. The candidates for the first time included a woman.
The US backed Davit Kirvalidze, the former Georgian minister of agriculture, while Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, former head of France’s agricultural ministry, was the European Union’s candidate.
The term of the new head will start on August 1, 2019, and run to July 31, 2023.
