15th Africa Regional Management Team Meeting (RMT15)
Hybrid Event, 02/06/2026 - 04/06/2026
The FAO Regional Management Team (RMT) Meeting provides a strategic platform for FAO Country Representatives, Subregional Coordinators, Regional Office teams, and FAO leadership to collectively reflect on Africa‑wide regional priorities, country‑level delivery realities, and emerging challenges, while sharing innovative solutions to strengthen FAO’s performance and impact on the ground.
RMT15 is being convened at a pivotal moment for FAO in Africa, where delivering on the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031 must be achieved in an increasingly constrained, risk‑intensive, and reform‑driven environment. Declining core resources, growing reliance on vertical and earmarked funding, and heightened delivery and fiduciary risks at country level are unfolding in parallel with accelerating UN development system reform. Strengthening operational coherence, embracing innovation and scaling solutions that work is key to FAO’s role in transforming agrifood systems to be MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
Find the latest agenda below
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| Day 1: Tuesday 2 June 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Session 1: Session Chair – Priya Gujadhur, FAOR a.i.-Ghana | ||
| 0800 - 0900 | Registration | RAF Secretariat |
| 0900 - 0905 | Welcome Remarks | Priya Gujadhur, FAOR a.i. Ghana |
| 0905 - 0915 | Opening Remarks | Godfrey Magwenzi, DDG FAO - Online |
| 0915 - 0925 | Remarks - Driving efficiency and accountability through One FAO delivery | Maurizio Martina, DDG FAO |
| 0925 - 0935 | Remarks - Repositioning FAO for relevance and impact in a shifting global partnership ecosystem | Beth Bechdol, DDG FAO - Online |
| 0935 - 0945 | Statement | Government of Ghana Representative Hon. Minister for Food and Agriculture – Mr. Eric Opoku Hon. Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture - Ms Emelia Arthur |
| 0945 - 0955 | Statement | H.E AU Commissioner for ARBE, Mr. Moses Vilakati - Online |
| 0955 - 1015 | Keynote Address - Linking results with relevance: FAO in Africa achievements, lessons learned, and opportunities for improvement | Abebe Haile-Gabriel ADG/RR, RAF |
| 1015 - 1045 | Group Photo and Tea/Coffee Break | |
| Session 2: Session Chair – Patrice Talla, SRC-SFS | ||
| 1045 - 1055 | Key takeaways from RMT14 | Mohammed Shamsuddin |
| 1055 - 1100 | Objectives of RMT15 and Introduction and Overview of the Day’s Agenda | Facilitator |
| 1100 - 1300 | Africa Region Priorities for 2026-27 | DRR Ayman Omer |
| 1300 - 1400 | Lunch Break | |
| Session 3: Session Chair – Athman Mravili, SRC-SFC | ||
| 1400 - 1430 | Challenges and opportunities to delivering on priorities | DRR Meshack Malo |
| 1430 - 1630 | Programme Portfolio and Performance: - 3 Presentations (30 min) i. Overall portfolio of the field programme ii. Programmatic trends iii. Resource mobilization pipeline - Groups work (50 minutes) - Plenary discussion (40 minutes) | Julia Stone Samy Gaiji Jung-Hyun Kim Peter Anaadumba |
| 1630 - 1700 | GWC4 Preparations | DDG Martina DRR Meshack Malo |
| 1700 - 1720 | Key takeaways for the day | Facilitator |
| Day 2: Wednesday 3 June 2026 | ||
| Session 4: Session Chair – Farayi Zimudzi, SRC-SFE a.i. | ||
| 0830 - 0840 | Setting the scene for day 2 | Facilitator |
| 0840 - 1100 | - FAO Villages Recognition Initiative -Keynote presentation of flagship programmes – Ken Lohento · GCI · Hand in Hand Initiative · Digital Villages · OCOP -Panel discussion - Plenary discussion | - DDG Martina Yota Nicolarea – FAO Villages Recognition Initiative - Online - Zoewinde Bouda – GCI - Herve Ouedraogo - HiHi - Ken Lohento – Digital Villages - Edward Kilawe – OCOP |
| 1100 - 1130 | Tea/Coffee Break | |
| Session 5: Session Chair – Meshack Malo, DRR-RAF | ||
| 1130 - 1300 | HR developments and innovative approaches, plus approaches to addressing HR related risks in COs | Serge Nakouzi Iris Naa Teiko Okunor Andrew Sentumbwe |
| 1300 - 1400 | Lunch Break | |
| 1400 - 1600 | Scalable innovative practices for integrated support services, (Finance, procurement and logistics, administration) | John Kidd (Chief -SSC) Online Rodrigo deLapuerta (Director - CSL) – Online Motohiro Ogita (Chief CSLP) - Online Thierry Ebo (CSLP) Salimata Cissé Andrew Sentumbwe Thierry Ebo Ntwali Muderhwa |
| 1600 - 1645 | IT and corporate position of FAO in AI use | Anthony Renner Micah |
| 1645 - 1700 | Key take aways and close of day | Facilitator |
| Day 3: Thursday 4 June 2026 | ||
| Session 6: Session Chair – Ayman Omer, DRR-RAF | ||
| 0830 - 0840 | Setting the scene for day 3 | Facilitator |
| 0840 - 1030 | 100 FAO Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development Mainstreaming gender and youth into programming and operations Advocacy on the International Year of the Woman Farmer | Chief Economist: Mr. Maximo Torero -Online Bethel Gebremedhin Nomathemba Mhlanga Janetta Carlucci Ayouba Coulibaly |
| 1030 - 1100 | Tea/Coffee Break | |
| 1100 - 1200 | Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) - experiences from the field | Irina Curca Sara Holst |
| 1200 - 1300 | (a) Science and Innovation for delivery and scale (b) Preparation towards Africa Forum on Harnessing Science and Innovation for Agrifood Systems Transformation | Chief Scientist: Charles Spillane - Online DRR Ayman Omer |
| 1300 - 1400 | Lunch | |
| Session 7: Session Chair – Patrice Talla, SRC-SFS | ||
| 1400 - 1430 | Reflections on Country Office Adjustments | Beth Crawford - Online |
| 1430 - 1530 | Final plenary reflections | DRR Meshack Malo Facilitator |
| 1530 - 1600 | Closing Remarks and vote of thanks | Abebe Haile-Gabriel, ADG/RR, RAF |