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344. Resolution No. 72

Retirement of the Honorable Norris E. Dodd

The Conference

Notes with the deepest regret the Honorable Norris E. Dodd's decision to retire from the office of Director-General of FAO;

Considering his outstanding services to the Organization;

Places on record that the remarkable development of FAO in the course of the last five years, its influence among nations and the prestige which it en joys are due to his personal endeavors, his human understanding of social realities and his spirit of enterprise;

Wishes to emphasize particularly the way in which he has constantly promoted international understanding and co-operation;

Conveys to him its warmest appreciation and gratitude for the work he has accomplished, which will never be for gotten;

And hopes that he may continue to serve the ideals for which FAO stands throughout the world.

The Conference decided that the resolution should be inscribed on parchment signed by the Heads of Delegations and transmitted to Mr. Dodd.

345. The Conference was informed by Dr. F. T. Wahlen of his desire that his name, which had been submitted by the Government of Switzerland for the position of Director-General of FAO, be withdrawn from the list of candidates. The Conference was deeply gratified to learn of the devotion to FAO which had inspired Dr. Wahlen's decision and to be informed that the Organization would continue to benefit from his eminent technical and administrative qualifications, of which it stands in such need. The Conference felt certain that it was interpreting the sentiments of all Member Delegations in conveying its very sincere appreciation to Dr. Wahlen for serving FAO with such outstanding ability and devotion.

346. Resolution No. 73

Appointment of Dr. P. V. Cardon as Director-General

The Conference

Acting in conformity with Article VII, paragraph I of the Constitution;

Having received a nomination from the General Committee and having proceeded to a secret ballot as laid down in Rules XXVIII and XII of the Rules of Procedure;

Appoints unanimously Dr. Philip V. Cardon to the office of Director-General;

Noting that Dr. Cardon has expressed the desire to assume office upon his return to Rome during the month of February 1954 and that Mr. Norris E. Dodd is willing to remain in office until such date;

Concurs in the above arrangement and decides that the date of the termination of Dr. Cardon's appointment shall be 31 December 1957;

Resolves that the salary and allowance of the Director-General shall remain the same as those of his predecessor and that the terms and conditions of the appointment shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the Staff Regulations; and

Noting that under Rule XXVIII, paragraph 2, the Deputy Director-General shall act as Director-General in any case where the Director-General is unable to act;

Requests the Chairman of the Council promptly to convene a Special Session of the Council, should any emergency occur which may require Conference action.

347. Resolution No. 74

Appointment of Independent Chairman of the Council

The Conference

Having proceeded to a secret ballot, in accordance with the provisions of Rule XII;

Declares unanimously that Professor Josué de Castro is appointed Independent Chairman of the Council for a further period of two years, that is until the end of the regular Session of the Conference to be held in 1955; and

Having noted the recommendations submitted by the General Committee in conformity with Rule XXIV;

Decides that the conditions of appointment, including the allowances attached to the office of the Independent Chairman of the Council, shall be as follows:

(i) An annual allowance of the equivalent of $ 5,000 to cover representation expenses and secretarial assistance in the Chairman's home station, on the understanding that the Director-General will provide secretarial assistance when the Chairman attends meetings of the Council or Conference. One half of this allowance shall be payable in United States dollars, the balance being payable, in whole or in part, in the currency of the home country of the Chairman or in Italian fire, according to his desire;

(ii) A per diem allowance at the rate of $ 20 while the Chairman is absent from his home station on Council business, the allowance being reduced to $ 10 per diem while the Chairman is in travel status;

(iii) Travel expenses, including the above per diem allowance, shall be defrayed by the Organization in conformity with its Regulations and existing practices when the Chairman attends Sessions of the Council, the Coordinating Committee or Conference or when he is invited by the Council or by the Director-General to travel for other purposes.

Geographical distribution
Terms of office and procedure for electing the six additional members
Results of the elections to the council

Geographical distribution

348. The Conference, having decided to increase the number of Council seats from eighteen to twenty-four and having recalled Rule XXIII, para. 5 of the Rules of Procedure which specifies that " in selecting Members of the Council due consideration shall be given to the inclusion in its membership of a balanced geographical representation", reviewed the present composition of the Council.

349. In considering the question of geographical distribution the Conference found itself obliged to adopt a conventional distribution of countries among the various regions. This distribution merely reflects the present state of affairs in that it follows the practical lines which have thus far been established particularly with respect to servicing Member Governments from Headquarters or from the Regional Offices. The list of countries thus assigned to the above regions, for present purposes, is found in Appendix F.

350. The Conference, on the recommendation of the General Committee, decided that the twenty-four seats of the Council should be distributed among the regions as follows:

- 1 seat to the African region
- 5 seats to Asia and the Far Eastern region
- 1 seat to the South West Pacific region
- 7 seats to the European region
- 5 seats to the Latin American region
- 3 seats to the Near Eastern region
- 2 seats to the North American region

This decision implied the following distribution of the six additional seats:

- 2 seats for Asia and the Far Eastern region
- 1 seat for the European region
- 1 seat for the Latin American region
- 2 seats for the Near Eastern region

351. In approving the above distribution of seats, the Conference recorded its view that the question should be reconsidered at the next regular Session of the Conference. The problem of a balanced geographical representation required periodic examination, not merely to take account of changing circumstances but also to introduce such improvements as would ensure the most equitable distribution of seats.

Terms of office and procedure for electing the six additional members

352. The Conference also considered the procedure to be followed at this Session to bring the total membership of the Council to twenty-four. The General Committee had submitted the following recommendations:

"It was obvious that the six additional seats should be distributed equally among the three Groups of Council members whose terms of office expire in three consecutive years. Therefore the number in each Group would increase from six to eight.

So far as Group A is concerned, there is no difficulty in bringing its membership up from six to eight, since the Members included in this Group will take office as from the end of the present Session of the Conference for a period of three years.

The matter is more complicated with respect to Groups B and C. In the case of Group B. the members of this Group although elected at this Session, would not, unless special arrangements were made, take office until 1 January 1955. In the case of Group C, the terms of office of its members do not expire for another two years.

The General Committee considered the advisability of electing two additional members of Group B, who would take office immediately on the completion of the present Session of the Conference. However, the result of such a device would be in practice to give each of these two members a term of office of four years. The General Committee was anxious not to transgress upon the Rule which stipulates that members of the Council are limited to a three-year term of office.

It is therefore considered that since it was desirable to raise the membership of the Council to twenty-four without delay, these two additional members should be elected for a period of one year only, namely 1954. These members would, under the Constitution, be eligible for election at this Session for a further period of three years, as explained in Step V below.

Similarly, with respect to Group C. the General Committee considered that two additional members of this Group might be elected, to take office immediately after the Session for a period of two years.

In the light of the above considerations. the General Committee decided to recommend the following procedure:

Step I: Nominations for the six additional seats should he submitted in line with the same procedure and within the same time limit as will apply to the twelve seats normally coming up for election.

Step II: The Conference would proceed to a first ballot covering all six additional seats and elect six countries to fill them

Step III: Lots would then be drawn to determine which of these six countries would be assigned to Group A, Group B and Group C respectively.

The two members in Group A would hold their appointment for a three years term of office,

The two members in Group B would hold their appointment for one year,

The two members in Group C would hold their appointment for two years.

Step IV: The Conference would proceed with the elections to fill the six regular vacancies in Group A.

Step V: The Conference would then proceed to the elections to fill the eight vacancies in Group B. it being understood that, notwithstanding the regulation in force regarding nominations, the two countries having obtained the two additional seats in Group B (i.e. for one year) under the procedure outlined in Steps II and III above, would be eligible for re-election.

In this manner, the membership of the Council would be brought up to twenty-four as from the close of the present Conference Session."

353. The Conference approved these proposals and the elections were consequently held according to the procedure described above.

Results of the elections to the council

354. The following countries were elected to the six new seats of the Council:

355. The following countries were elected to fill the vacancies in Group A:

356. The following countries were elected to fill the vacancies in Group B:

357. The Conference adopted the following resolution:

The Conference

In accordance with Article XXI of the Joint Staff Pension Regulations,

Appoints as members from 1 January 1954 to 31 December 1955 of the FAO Staff Pension Committee:

Sarda Shankar Bajpai, Counsellor Embassy of India, Rome

Carolus Eygenraam, Counsellor, Netherlands Legation, Rome

André Parodi, Counsellor, Swiss Legation, Rome;

and as alternates for the same period:

Carl Bergenstrahle, Counsellor, Swedish Legation, Rome

Miss Carol Laise, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C.

Hugh J. McCann, Counsellor, Irish Embassy, Washington, D.C.

358. The Conference wished to express its very great appreciation to Professor G. Ugo Papi for the many and devoted services he had rendered to the Committee as its Chairman for the past two years, and expressed regret that he could not make himself available for a further period.

359. Resolution No. 76

Appointment of External Auditor

The Conference

Decides that, in view of the satisfactory and valuable relations which have developed between the present External Auditor and the Organization, to reappoint Sir Frank N. Tribe, Comptroller and Auditor General of the United Kingdom, as External Auditor of the Organization for a period of two years commencing with the accounts for the year 1954.

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