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III. Introduction


A. Eighteenth McDougall Memorial Lecture
B. Address by His Excellency Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, President of Italy
C. Presentation of the B.R. Sen Awards for 1992 and 1993
D. Presentation of the A.H. Boerma Award 1992-1993
E. Tribute to Edouard Saouma
F. Oath of Office of the Director-General Elect
G. Celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
H. In memoriam


A. Eighteenth McDougall Memorial Lecture

1. The Eighteenth in the series of lectures at regular Conference sessions in memory of Frank Lidgett McDougall, a founding father of the Organization, was delivered by His Excellency Elias Hraoui, President of Lebanon.

B. Address by His Excellency Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, President of Italy

2. The Conference was addressed by His Excellency Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, President of Italy and adopted the following resolution:

Resolution 1/93

Headquarters accommodation

The Conference,

Recalling the Director-General's untiring efforts to solve the long-standing accommodation problem and, in particular, the series of measures he had proposed to the Governing Bodies in the early eighties,

Recalling the favourable reaction at the highest level in the Government of Italy to the Director-General's proposals, culminating in 1985 with the laying of the foundation stone of the new buildings by the President of the Italian Republic:

1. Expresses its deep satisfaction to the Government of the Republic of Italy for the outstanding
assistance and extreme generosity offered to the Organization in all phases of the reconstruction of the Headquarters' accommodation and related matters, including the provision of more than 30 billion lire to fund the new constructions and of other large amounts of voluntary monies to cover the rent of offices on Via Cristoforo Colombo from 1986 onwards;

2. Thanks sincerely the President of the Italian Republic for having personally accepted to inaugurate the new premises on 6 November 1993;

3. Encourages the Italian Government to continue its special efforts to complete the construction of modern Headquarters at the Caracalla site, with a view to making the new building E available for occupancy in 1994-95, thereby enabling the Organization to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary on a single compound.

(Adopted 15 November 1993)

C. Presentation of the B.R. Sen Awards for 1992 and 1993

3. The awards, honouring the name of the late Mr. B.R. Sen, Director-General of FAO from 1956 to 1967, are conferred annually. Each year the award is given to the field officer who has made the most outstanding contribution to the country or countries to which he or she has been assigned.

4. The award for 1992 was conferred to Mr. Sang-Kyun Choi, a citizen of the Republic of Korea, in recognition of his major contribution to the development of integrated watershed management in Myanmar. By his pioneering efforts and able leadership Mr. Choi had motivated some 10 000 farmers to undertake improved community agroforestry and watershed management in remote and insecure border areas, on an environmentally sustainable basis, thereby generating income and alternative cash crops.

5. The Government of Myanmar, in endorsing the selection of Mr. Sang-Kyun Choi, also recognized his dedication, competence and ability in involving farmers in all aspects of project implementation.

6. The award for 1993 was conferred, for the second time since its institution, to a woman, Ms Felicidad L. Villareal, a national of the Philippines. Her role in the assessment and funding of rural township enterprises, and above all in the establishment of self-help women's groups who engage in savings mobilization and micro-enterprises, had given valuable support to improving the status of rural women through income-generating activities. At the lowest village levels she had been able to use indigenous cultural systems, linked to family or other local institutions, thus making a substantial contribution to sustainable development and poverty alleviation.

7. The Government of China, in endorsing the choice of Ms Villareal for this award, paid tribute to her untiring efforts, dedication and technical competence in support of rural women in improvement of their social and economic status.

D. Presentation of the A.H. Boerma Award 1992-1993

8. The A.H. Boerma Award is presented biannually to a journalist or journalists whose work has helped to focus public attention on important aspects of world food problems and has thereby contributed towards increasing public support for measures leading to their alleviation.

9. The Award for 1992-93 was presented to Ms Franceline Oubda, a journalist of the National Television Network of Burkina Faso, for her television series "Women and Development". The series looked at the major economic, social and cultural development problems from the standpoint of the rural women of Burkina Faso. The programme's imaginative presentation of issues of particular concern to FAO had helped increase public awareness of such issues.

10. The Government of Burkina Faso, in supporting the selection of Ms Oubda for the Boerma Award, stressed the important contribution of the television series in question in the search for solutions to the problems of food and agriculture.

E. Tribute to Edouard Saouma

11. The Conference examined the question of instituting an Edouard Saouma Award to be given every biennium to an institution which had implemented with particular efficiency a project funded by the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP). The Conference adopted the following resolution:

Resolution 2/93

Edouard Saouma Award

The Conference,

Considering that the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) has become an established and highly valued component of FAO action in the field, allowing the rapid mobilization of resources to respond to emergency situations and to meet unforeseen short-term technical assistance needs which could not be covered by other sources of support,

Noting that, since 1976, 5 398 TCP projects have been executed for a total value of US$496 million,

Recalling the catalytic effect of the Programme which has generated investments and large-scale follow-up projects, thus expanding the overall volume of agricultural development financing,

Welcoming with appreciation the increasing role of national institutions in the direct execution of projects, which have contributed in a pragmatic and flexible manner to the strengthening of developing countries' capacities in the formulation of national policies for food production, agriculture, fisheries and forestry,

Recognizing the decisive role of the Director-General, Mr Edouard Saouma, in the conception and the implementation of this Programme over the past 18 years:

1. Decides that, in order to solemnly record this important achievement of FAO, an "Edouard Saouma Award" be established for presentation to a national or regional institution which has implemented with particular efficiency a project funded by the TCP,

2. Agrees that the general terms and conditions of the Edouard Saouma Award be as follows:

(a) Nature of the award: the award will consist of a medal inscribed with the name of the recipient institution; and a cash prize in the amount of US$25 000;

(b) Selection of award winners: the winners will be selected by a Committee comprising the Independent Chairman of the Council, the Chairman of the Programme Committee and the Chairman of the Finance Committee under the Chairmanship of the Director-General. The Committee will make its selection from a list drawn up by the Field Programme Development Division (DDF).

(c) Presentation: the award will be presented by the Director-General at the beginning of each regular session of the Conference to a representative of the recipient institution. The representative will be invited to FAO Headquarters in Rome for the ceremony, the cost of travel and per diem being borne by the Organization.

(Adopted 12 November 1993)

12. The Conference paid homage to the Director-General Mr. Edouard Saouma. In recalling Mr. Saouma's stewardship of the Organization over the preceding 18 years the Conference expressed its appreciation of the Director-General's outstanding contribution to the international community, his untiring advocacy of the rural poor, his many lasting and far-ranging achievements and the indelible mark he had left on the Organization.

13. The Conference then adopted the following Resolution:

Resolution 3/93

Vote of thanks to Mr. Edouard Saouma

The Conference,

Appreciating the eminent services rendered by Mr. Edouard Saouma to the Organization in various capacities for more than three decades,

Recognizing, in particular, his exceptional energy and his great competence as witnessed throughout his 18 years as Director-General, a period during which the Organization was faced with problems of exceptional magnitude,

Recalling that under Mr. Saouma's able leadership FAO has taken a series of important steps towards solving these problems, as exemplified by the Technical Cooperation Programme, the decentralization of FAO's activities and by the Organization's initiatives to achieve world food security and enhanced nutritional status, promote agrarian reform and rural development, and to ensure a better management of natural resources,

Convinced that the example he has set as an outstanding international civil servant will continue to inspire all those who endeavour to further the aims of the Organization:

1. Expresses its deep gratitude to Mr. Edouard Saouma for his outstanding services to the Organization;

2. Hopes that he will be able to continue to serve the ideals of international cooperation for development, for which FAO stands throughout the world.

(Adopted 17 November 1993)

F. Oath of Office of the Director-General Elect

14. The Conference witnessed the Ceremony of the Oath of Office of the Director-General Elect, Mr. Jacques Diouf (Senegal) on 11 November 1993.

G. Celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations

15. The Conference was informed of the wish of the Government of Canada in conjunction with the Government of the Province of Quebec to organize celebrations to mark the Fiftieth Anniversary of FAO and adopted the following resolution:

Resolution 4/93

Fiftieth anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations

The Conference,

Recognizing that FAO will celebrate its Fiftieth Anniversary in 1995,

Recalling the statement on the Fiftieth Anniversary of FAO by the delegation of Canada to the Hundred and Third Session of the Council,

Welcoming the initiative of the Government of Canada in conjunction with the Government of the Province of Quebec to host and organize commemorative events in October 1995 in Quebec City, Canada, the site of the founding of FAO on 16 October 1945 in the Château Frontenac,

Acknowledging the offer of the Government of Canada to help plan and organize this Observance:

1. Invites all Member States to commemorate, in a manner commensurate with the importance of the Organization, the Fiftieth Anniversary of FAO and to inform the public more fully on the work accomplished by the Organization;

2. Requests the Director-General to prepare for approval by the Member Nations a "Declaration on Food and Agriculture" which will re-affirm the dedication of Member States to the principles on which the Organization was founded;

3. Further requests the Director-General to ensure that the draft Declaration be submitted to all the Regional Conferences in 1994 for consideration at the June 1995 Session of the Council and the World Food Day commemorative observance on 16 October 1995 for final adoption by the 28th Session of the Conference;

4. Invites the Director-General to consider the possibility of convening on 16 October 1995, a special World Food Day Observance which will also commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of FAO at the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, Canada;

5. urges all Member States to attend the commemorative events in Quebec City, Canada in October 1995.

(Adopted 15 November 1993)

H. In memoriam

16. The Conference observed one minute of silence in memory of those staff members and Representatives of Member Nations who had died in the service of the Organization since the Conference had last met.


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