António Guterres, the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations, took office on 1st January 2017. Having witnessed the suffering of the most vulnerable people on earth, from refugee camps to war zones, the Secretary-General has centered his efforts on ensuring human dignity for all. In a period of unprecedented global challenges, he has drawn on his commitment to the UN Charter to mobilize people and launch action to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, address the climate emergency, advance gender equality, and achieve ambitious 21st century reforms to enhance the Organization’s vital efforts to secure peace, sustainable development, human rights and humanitarian aid.

Prior to his appointment as Secretary-General, Mr Guterres served as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015, heading one of the world’s foremost humanitarian organizations during some of the most serious displacement crises in decades. The conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and the crises in South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Yemen, led to a huge rise in UNHCR’s activities as the number of people displaced by conflict and persecution rose from 38 million in 2005 to over 60 million in 2015.

Before joining UNHCR, Mr Guterres spent more than 20 years in government and public service. He served as prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002, during which time he was heavily involved in the international effort to resolve the crisis in East Timor.

As president of the European Council in early 2000, he led the adoption of the Lisbon Agenda for growth and jobs, and co-chaired the first European Union-Africa summit. He was a member of the Portuguese Council of State from 1991 to 2002.

Mr Guterres was elected to the Portuguese Parliament in 1976 where he served as a member for 17 years. During that time, he chaired the Parliamentary Committee for Economy, Finance and Planning, and later the Parliamentary Committee for Territorial Administration, Municipalities and Environment. He was also leader of his party’s parliamentary group.

From 1981 to 1983, Mr Guterres was a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, where he chaired the Committee on Demography, Migration and Refugees.

For many years Mr Guterres was active in the Socialist International, a worldwide organization of social democratic political parties. He was the group’s vice-president from 1992 to 1999, co-chairing the African Committee and later the Development Committee. He served as President from 1999 until mid-2005. In addition, he founded the Portuguese Refugee Council as well as the Portuguese Consumers Association DECO, and served as president of the Centro de Acção Social Universitário, an association carrying out social development projects in poor neighbourhoods of Lisbon, in the early 1970s.

Mr Guterres is a member of the Club of Madrid, a leadership alliance of democratic former presidents and prime ministers from around the world.

Mr Guterres was born in Lisbon in 1949 and graduated from the Instituto Superior Técnico with a degree in engineering. He is fluent in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish. He is married to Catarina de Almeida Vaz Pinto and has two children, a stepson and three grandchildren.

Mr Maximo Torero Cullen is the Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He joined the Organization in January 2019 as Assistant Director-General for the Economic and Social Development Department. Prior to joining FAO, he was the World Bank Group Executive Director for Argentina, Bolivia, Chile Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay since November 2016 and before the Bank Mr. Torero led the Division of the Markets, Trade, and Institutions at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). His major research work lies mostly in analyzing poverty, inequality, importance of geography and assets (private or public) in explaining poverty, and in policies oriented towards poverty alleviation based on the role played by infrastructure, institutions, and on how technological breakthroughs (or discontinuities) can improve the welfare of households and small farmers. His experience encompasses Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.

Mr Torero, a national of Peru, holds a Ph.D. and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of the Pacific, Lima, Peru. He is a professor on leave at the University of the Pacific, Perú, and an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at University of Bonn, Germany, and has also published in top journals (QJE, Econometric Theory, AER-Applied Microeconomics, RSTAT, Labor Economics and many other top journals).

Mr Torero has received in 2000 the Georg Foster Research Fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, won the Award for Outstanding Research on Development given by the Global Development Network, twice, in 2000 and in 2002, and received the Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole in 2014.

His Excellency Mr. Lok Bahadur Thapa was elected as the President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for its 2025-2026 session on July 31, 2025.

Ambassador Thapa currently serves as the Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations. He assumed this role on 1 September 2023 with the presentation of his credentials to the UN Secretary-General on the same day.

Ambassador Thapa also serves as the Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), leading efforts to strengthen the collective voice of LDCs in global decision-making processes. He is currently serving as a member of the Governing Council of the UN Technology Bank for the LDCs. Mr. Thapa also served as one of the co-facilitators of the “Compromiso de Sevilla”, the outcome document of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4).

A distinguished career diplomat, Ambassador Thapa brings over 35 years of experience in Nepal’s Foreign Service, with extensive expertise in multilateral and bilateral diplomacy. Throughout his long diplomatic career, Ambassador Thapa has held numerous significant assignments and responsibilities both at home and abroad.

From 2016 to 2020, Mr. Thapa served as Ambassador, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Nepal to the Kingdom of Belgium and Head of Mission to the European Union. During this tenure, he was concurrently accredited to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. He also served concurrently as the Permanent Representative to several international organizations, including the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), World Customs Organization (WCO), Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), and Center for the Promotion of Products from Developing Countries (CBI). Mr. Thapa’s earlier diplomatic assignments include postings at the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing, the Embassy of Nepal in Riyadh, and the Embassy of Nepal in Canberra.

At the national level, Mr. Thapa held key positions such as Head of the North-East Asia Division, Head of Southeast Asia Division, Head of West Asia Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, and Director General of the Department of Passport of the Ministry. During his tenure as the Director General of the Department, he introduced significant and inclusive reforms, including the launch of an online enrollment system and expedited service options, allowing citizens to obtain passports within a single day. During his career, he also worked in different divisions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in various capacities. Ambassador Thapa also served as Protocol and Liaison Officer at the Office of the First President of Nepal (2008-2009) and worked as Personal Secretary to the then Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal in 2014.

Ambassador Thapa has also represented Nepal in high-level international forums as well as bilateral and multilateral negotiations on a range of issues. He has been a member of the official entourage of Nepal on numerous state and official visits to foreign countries and international forums, as well as a member of the Nepali delegation during official visits to Nepal by foreign dignitaries.

In 2021, Ambassador Thapa was conferred the "Suprabal Jana Sewa Shree", a national decoration awarded by the Right Honorable President of Nepal in recognition of distinguished public service in 2021. He also received "Nijamati Sewa Puraskar" (Civil Service Award) from the Government of Nepal in 2015.

Ambassador Thapa holds a Master's in Diplomacy from Lancaster University (UK) and a Master's in Public Administration from Tribhuvan University (Nepal). He has also received specialized diplomatic training in Nepal, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, and the United States.

Akiko Suwa-Eisenmann is a senior scientist in INRAE, France, and a professor at the Paris School of Economics. She holds a PhD in economics from École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, France, and has graduated from École Normale Supérieure and Sciences Po, Paris. Suwa-Eisenmann works on global food security, international trade and development.

Her recent research projects examine the impact of perennial crops plantations on food security and the environment, looking at palm oil smallholders in Indonesia. She has also researched the impact of trade and food aid on rural households in developing countries, their choice between growing staple crops or export crops, the role of sanitary and phytosanitary norms on developing countries’ market access to the North.

Akiko Suwa-Eisenmann has published widely across a range of journals. She has been director of LEA, an INRA research unit and deputy director of PJSE and member of the Steering Committee of the Paris School of Economics. She has worked at the OECD Development Centre in charge of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. She has served as team leader for Trade Policy Diagnoses in many Sub-Saharan countries for the Enhanced Integrated Framework.

Current Chairperson of the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), she has been a member of the Steering Committee of the HLPE-FSN since October 2021.

She is a national of Japan.

Her Excellency Ambassador Nosipho Nausca-Jean Jezile, born on 20 February 1966 in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province, currently serves as the Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to Italy and as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Agencies in Rome. In this capacity, she holds the position of Chairperson of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) and Vice-Chair of the FAO Programme Committee, reflecting her deep commitment to global food governance and multilateral diplomacy. Ambassador Jezile’s distinguished career spans both national and international arenas.

In 2023, she chaired the African Regional Group in Rome, and between 2021 and 2023, she served as an Alternate Member of the CFS Bureau. Her leadership extended to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme in 2022 and the Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization from 2021 to 2023. Within South Africa, she led the Directors-General Cluster for International Cooperation, Trade and Security in 2020, and previously chaired the Committee of the Whole at the UNCCD COP 13.

Throughout her career, Ambassador Jezile has represented South Africa at numerous global conventions and conferences, including those focused on climate change, biodiversity, endangered species (CITES), and sustainable development. Her expertise was further recognized through her membership in the OECD Environmental Policy Committee in 2019 and the Council of the Global Environmental Facility. She has also served on the governing boards of key national institutions, including the South African National Biodiversity Institute and the South African Tourism Board. Ambassador Jezile has played a pivotal role in South Africa’s international environmental reporting, overseeing country reports on the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements such as the Basel and Stockholm Conventions, the UNFCCC, the Convention on Biological Diversity and its protocols, and the UNCCD. As a focal point for the Global Environment Facility, she has led country evaluations and contributed to strategic environmental planning. Her publications include foundational national strategies such as the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), the National Adaptation Plans under both UNCCD and UNFCCC, the Ecosystem-Based Adaptation Strategy, and South Africa’s first version of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

She has also contributed to the development and amendment of South Africa’s National Environmental Management Laws up to 2020. Ambassador Jezile’s public service journey includes twelve years as Director General of the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, later restructured as Environmental Affairs and subsequently Forestry, Fisheries and Environment. Her tenure was marked by visionary leadership in policy development, innovation, and evidence-based program implementation.

She played a formative role in advancing Agenda 21 and the Millennium Development Goals, and under her stewardship, South Africa adopted the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. She was instrumental in inscribing additional World Heritage Sites under UNESCO and in negotiating international agreements to combat desertification and improve agricultural productivity. Her leadership also enabled the successful hosting of UNFCCC COP 17 in Durban, a milestone event that paved the way for the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Academically, Ambassador Jezile holds a Bachelor of Science degree with majors in Biochemistry and Physiology from the University of the Western Cape, where she also earned a Higher Diploma in Education with distinction in Physical Science and Geography. She has pursued advanced studies in management and leadership, including certification in total quality management and organizational leadership, and completed the prestigious Advanced Management Program (AMP188) at Harvard Business School. Her academic journey began at Nyanga Senior Secondary School, where she matriculated in 1984 with senior certification for university entrance. Ambassador Jezile’s career reflects a lifelong dedication to environmental stewardship, sustainable development, and international cooperation, making her one of South Africa’s most respected voices in global diplomacy.

Mr Maximo Torero Cullen is the Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He joined the Organization in January 2019 as Assistant Director-General for the Economic and Social Development Department. Prior to joining FAO, he was the World Bank Group Executive Director for Argentina, Bolivia, Chile Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay since November 2016 and before the Bank Mr. Torero led the Division of the Markets, Trade, and Institutions at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). His major research work lies mostly in analyzing poverty, inequality, importance of geography and assets (private or public) in explaining poverty, and in policies oriented towards poverty alleviation based on the role played by infrastructure, institutions, and on how technological breakthroughs (or discontinuities) can improve the welfare of households and small farmers. His experience encompasses Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.

Mr Torero, a national of Peru, holds a Ph.D. and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of the Pacific, Lima, Peru. He is a professor on leave at the University of the Pacific, Perú, and an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at University of Bonn, Germany, and has also published in top journals (QJE, Econometric Theory, AER-Applied Microeconomics, RSTAT, Labor Economics and many other top journals).

Mr Torero has received in 2000 the Georg Foster Research Fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, won the Award for Outstanding Research on Development given by the Global Development Network, twice, in 2000 and in 2002, and received the Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole in 2014.