A friends and, indeed, critics of FAO can welcome the election of Mr. B.R. Sen as the new Director-General of the Organization. He will bring to bear a keen mind and fresh ideas on the affairs of FAO, backed by very considerable and varied administrative experience.
He is the first Asian to be executive head of a United Nations agency. The other agencies are headed by three Americans, four Europeans and two Latin Americans.
As Ambassador of India to the United States and later to Italy, Mr. Sen has been closely associated with FAO's activities from the time the Organization started to grow in Washington and then after its headquarters had been transferred to Rome. Earlier he had been Director-General of the Food Department in India and a Secretary to the Government. Trained to the strict standards of the Indian Civil Service, he has since represented his country on the United Nations Security Council, and led the Indian Delegation to the Economic and Social Council and to many sessions of the FAO Conference. His chairmanship of various commissions of the FAG Conference. from as far back as 1948, has given him an intimate knowledge of FAO's technical programs and problems.
Mr. Sen's election to the post of Director-General came as a dramatic feature of the Third Special Session of the FAO Conference held in September last, after the candidate of the United States had withdrawn before the third harlot, when seemingly almost assured of the necessary votes. As Mr. Sen, in a speech after his election, said:
"When victory is in sight, to give away the privilege of being elected is an act of courage and selfdenial... We feel, and we believe, that the United States of America has taken note of the growing desire on the part of the less-developed areas at this stage to come and take over the direction of the affairs of FAO, even if only for a time. This shows great understanding on the part of the United States of America. It is only a big nation with a big heart that can have this kind of understanding... We are greatly heartened by the assurance which the United States of America has given that, though its candidate has been withdrawn, it will continue to give its fullest support to the Organization."
Mr. Sen continued:
"FAO, as we know, after ten years of its existence, is now facing many problems. Some of these problems have been dramatized, but I have always had the belief that of all the specialized agencies... there is none which is doing as good work as FAO. At times we do meet difficulties, but what organization does not? We have internal problems; every organization has them... I feel that with the cooperation of the Member Nations. with the co-operation of the staff, these problems that we hear of can be easily brought under control."
"The office of the Director-General is not just a job. That is the way. at least, I look at it, and am sure you all do. The Director-Generalship of FAO is both a challenge and an opportunity. A challenge to the best that a man has in himself, and can give; an opportunity of service to humanity. It is in this spirit of challenge and opportunity that I shall undertake this task which you have now imposed on me."
