Regional Representative

Mr. Rene Orellana Halkyer was appointed by the FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, as Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC), effective 1 November 2025.

Biography

Rene Orellana Halkyer, a Bolivian national, holds a PhD in Law with a specialization in Interlegality and Legal Fields from the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands. He also holds a Master's degree in Climate Change Law and Economics from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences in Argentina, a Master's degree in Energy and Environmental Policy and Management from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences in Mexico, and a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University from San Simón in Bolivia.

Before joining FAO, he served as Regional Manager for Mexico and Central America and Representative in Mexico at the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), a position he held since March 2022.

In 2019, he was Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to the Eastern Republic of Uruguay and Representative to the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) and the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI).

Ambassador on Special Mission with Plenipotentiary Representation for Environment and Development Issues to the United Nations and served as Minister of Development Planning from 2015 to 2017.

He was Minister of Water between April 2008 and January 2009, Minister of Environment and Water between April 2009 and January 2010, and Deputy Minister of Basic Services in 2006.

Mr. Orellana Halkyer served as advisor to the Executive Directorate of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay in the World Bank Group.

He chaired the G77+China at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on behalf of Bolivia at COP20, was a member of the ministerial facilitation team for the Paris Agreement (COP21) and participated in the formulation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

His professional career demonstrates a strong commitment to the transformation of agrifood systems to make them more sustainable, climate action, international cooperation, and the strengthening of public governance in Latin America and the Caribbean.

News

FAO and ACTO signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen the bioeconomy and food security in the Amazon

06/03/2026

The agreement with the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) aims to support eight countries in transforming their agrifood systems while promoting the sustainable management of natural resources in rural areas, in line with the Belém and Bogotá declarations.

FAO drives innovation by bringing solutions through nuclear science into regions worldwide

17/02/2026

Representatives from FAO technical divisions and regional offices visit the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture in Vienna and its laboratories in Seibersdorf, Austria, to identify opportunities for collaboration in support of Members’ agrifood systems transformation.

Youth from Latin America and the Caribbean meet in Brasília to drive the transformation of agrifood systems

27/01/2026

The regional meeting brought together young people from across the region to strengthen capacities, articulate proposals, and develop a Regional Declaration for the 39th FAO Regional Conference (LARC39).