2 September 2008, Rome - Mr Modibo Tiémoko Traoré, a former Minister for Rural Development with the Government of Mali, has taken over as FAO Assistant Director-General charged with the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department.

Mr Traoré, 54, joined FAO in March this year as Regional Representative for Africa after heading the African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources for three years.

A veterinarian and livestock expert, Mr Traoré was also Mali’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China between 2000 and 2005. The previous Assistant Director-General, Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department, Spain’s José M. Sumpsi, was appointed Assistant Director-General, Technical Cooperation Department on January 1.

Rural Development

Mr Traoré, a former National Director of Mali’s Livestock and Veterinary Services was his country’s Minister for Rural Development (Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries) between 1994 and 2000, and also held responsibility for the Environment and Water Resources.

Mr Traoré holds an M.Sc. in Veterinary Medicine from the Agricultural Academy of Ukraine and a Doctorat d’Etat ès Sciences in Animal Production and Health from the University of Paris XII.

---

Contact:
Christopher Matthews
Media Relations, FAO
christopher.matthews@fao.org
(+39) 06.570.53762
(+39) 349 5893 612