Blaise Kuemlangan is the Chief of the Development Law Service at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). He leads a team of legal experts delivering technical assistance in food and agriculture law. Specializing in the Law of the Sea and fisheries law, Blaise supports countries in strengthening legislation related to fisheries management, monitoring, control, surveillance, and enforcement. He is recognized for his leadership in promoting legal frameworks that enhance sustainable natural resource governance and compliance with international obligations

Simon Blondeau is a Legal Officer at FAO, working on legal issues related to agricultural cooperatives, family farming, biosafety, and the right to adequate food. He also leads engagement with parliamentarians and manages three global projects involving national legal work across three continents. Based in Rome, Simon collaborates across FAO divisions, supporting countries with varied legal systems and languages. Originally from Montréal, he has a strong background in international law and socio-economic rights, contributing to inclusive, sustainable legal frameworks for food systems and rural development. 

Buba Bojang is a Legal Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) based in Rome, where he contributes his expertise in international law and fisheries governance. He holds an LL.M. in International Maritime Law, and a PhD in Law from the University of Aberdeen and completed his earlier legal education with an LLB (Hons) and BL (Hons) in Nigeria. At FAO he has worked on key instruments such as the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, including supporting Member States’ ratification, implementation, and enforcement processes. With strong skills in prosecution, legislative drafting, and international treaty implementation, Buba plays a central role in advancing sustainable fisheries, food security and the rule of law in marine and maritime contexts.

Carmen Bullon is a Legal Officer with FAO’s Development Law Service. She holds a Law Degree, a Master’s in EU Law, and postgraduate training in international trade, and is currently a PhD candidate. Since 2006, Carmen has advised over 70 countries on legislation covering food safety, animal and plant health, pesticide management, seeds, agricultural pollution, and contract farming. She also researches and supports legal frameworks addressing One Health, AMR, zoonoses, agricultural plastics, and emergency preparedness to strengthen sustainable agrifood systems. 

Kysseline Chérestal is a Legal Officer with FAO’s Development Law Service, specializing in natural resource governance, with a focus on land, forestry, pastoralism, and soils. With over 25 years of experience, she advises FAO Members on strengthening legal frameworks that promote sustainability, equity, and resilience. Her work spans legal and policy strategic advisory services, capacity and system development, and knowledge management. She has served at FAO headquarters and as Outposted Legal Officer for West and Central Africa. She holds a Juris Doctor from Fordham Law School (United States) and is fluent in English and French, with professional proficiency in Spanish.

Manuela Cuvi is a Legal Officer at FAO’s Development Law Service, based in Santiago, Chile. A dual national of Ecuador and Chile, she holds a Law degree from the University of Chile (Class Valedictorian, 2000) and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School (2003). Manuela coordinates legal assistance across Latin America and the Caribbean, advising 33 countries on legislation related to food, agriculture, and fisheries. With over 20 years of international experience, she is a published legal expert and frequent academic lecturer on law and sustainable development. 

Valerie A. Johnston is a Legal Officer at FAO’s Development Law Service and a national of Canada. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from McGill University and both a Bachelor and Master of Laws from the London School of Economics. Valerie worked for 15 years in HR and employment law before joining FAO in 2017. She now leads the Service’s work on climate change, biodiversity, water resources, and responsible agricultural investment, providing legal guidance to strengthen environmental governance and support sustainable, rights-based food systems. 

Julia Nakamura is a Legal Officer at FAO’s Development Law Service, specializing in fisheries and aquaculture law. A Brazilian-qualified lawyer, she holds a PhD in Law from the University of Strathclyde (2024), an LLM from the University of Edinburgh, and an LLB from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Julia began working with FAO in 2017 and became a staff member in 2023. She has also consulted for international institutions and practiced environmental law in Brazil. Her research and fieldwork focus on legal frameworks that support sustainable aquatic food systems. 

Lalaina Ravelomanantsoa has served as a Legal Officer in the FAO Legal Office since 2010, specializing in areas such as plant protection, food safety and quality, forest management, and digital agriculture. His previous assignment in the African Region has equipped him with valuable field experience and a deep understanding of diverse legal systems. This background enables him to effectively support countries in harmonizing their legal frameworks with international normative instruments, thereby enhancing governance in agri-food systems. Prior to joining FAO, Lalaina held roles in the private sector, public administration, and academia, bringing a well-rounded perspective to his work. 

Eugenio Sartoretto is a Legal Officer at FAO with a focus on natural resource governance. He has supported rule of law initiatives and the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities across several countries. Since 2018, he has coordinated the legal component of the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme, leading the development of the Legal Hub—an online platform used in Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Eugenio's work helps governments access cross-sectoral legal analysis to advance policy reforms and ensure equitable and sustainable wildlife and forest governance. 

Andrés Vatter Rubio is a Legal Officer at FAO’s Development Law Service, where he manages the FAOLEX database and coordinates thematic legal databases. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Williams College, an M.Sc. in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and an M.Sc. in Financial Management from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). Prior to joining FAO in 2014, he accumulated 19 years of experience in legal information management at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Margret Vidar holds a law degree from her native Iceland and an LLM from the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, in Lund, Sweden. Upon joining FAO in 1996, she worked for a decade in FAO’s General Legal Affairs Service and then served for three years as Human Rights Advisor in the Economic and Social Department – Right to Food Team. Since 2009, she has focused on making rights a reality through national legislation in the Development Law Service. She works primarily on food security and nutrition related issues, as well as the responsible governance of tenure, while also promoting human rights-based and gender-transformative approaches