Session Documents
The Council
The FAO Council was established in 1947 at the 3rd Session of the FAO Conference, replacing the original "Executive Committee".
The Council acts as the executive arm of the Conference between its sessions, exercising functions relating to the status of world food and agriculture, prospective activities of the Organization, administrative and constitutional matters. The Council plays a major role in deciding and advising on matters pertaining to the implementation of programme and budget execution, monitoring of the implementation of governance decisions and oversight of the administration of the Organization.
The Council holds five regular sessions in each biennium. It is directly assisted by a Programme Committee, a Financial Committee, and a Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters.
- Council of the Organization (Vol.1, Art. V)
- The Council (Vol.1, Sec.B: GRO, B.)
- Rules of Procedure (Vol.1, Sec.D.)
Mr Mina Rizk (Egypt)
2025 – 2027
Appointment of the ICC (Vol.1, Art. V.2)
Appointment of the ICC (Vol.1, Sec.B, GRO XXIII)
Membership
Elected by the Conference, the Council consists of 49 Member Nations
elected for a term of three years with arrangements for staggering
expiry of terms of office. In selecting Members, the Conference
considers the desirability of a balanced geographical representation and
the rotation of membership. Each Member Nation has one representative
and one vote.
The Conference is also tasked to appoint an
Independent Chairperson of the Council (ICC) at each of its Sessions.
The ICC not only serves as Chairperson of all Council meetings but also
plays an inter-sessional role in convening informal consultations, taking
steps to achieve consensus among the Membership and liaising with
Management and other Chairpersons of Governing Bodies. The ICC is
elected for a period of two years, renewable once (Article V.2 of the
Constitution and Rule XXIII of the General Rules of the Organization).
FAO Member Nations by region for Council election purposes
(as from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference)
- Australia1
- Bangladesh2
- Brazil3
- Burundi2
- Cameroon1
- Canada3
- Chile2
- China2
- Colombia3
- Congo2
- Ecuador2,4
- Egypt1
- France3,5
- Germany1,14
- Ghana3
- Guatemala2
- Honduras3,7
- Iceland2,12
- India1
- Indonesia2
- Ireland2,15
- Jamaica3
- Japan2
- Kenya3
- Kuwait2
- Lesotho1
- Malaysia1,10
- Mexico3
- Morocco1
- Niger3,8
- Norway1
- Oman1,13
- Pakistan1
- Panama1
- Philippines2
- Poland2,16
- Qatar3
- Republic of Korea2
- Saudi Arabia1
- Senegal3
- South Africa3
- Sudan3
- Switzerland1,6
- Türkiye3
- Uganda1
- Ukraine3,11
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland1,9
- United Republic of Tanzania2
- United States of America3
Membership Information
1 Term of office: end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) to 30 June 2026)
2 Term of office: 1 July 2024 to the end of the 45th Session of the Conference (2027)
3 Term of office: end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025) to 30 June 2028
4 The 43rd Session of the Conference elected Ecuador and Peru, with Ecuador occupying the Council seat from 1 July 2024 until 31 December 2025 and Peru from 1 January 2026 until the end of the 45th Session of the Conference. Ecuador was deemed to have resigned in accordance with Rule XXII, paragraph 7 of the GRO. Having restored its eligibility on the Council, Ecuador was re-elected for the partial term of office from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference to 31 December 2025. Peru will replace Ecuador from 1 January 2026 until the end of the 45th Session of the Conference (2027).
5 The term of office of France will be from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference until 30 June 2026 and the term of office of Italy from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2028.
6 Switzerland replaced Georgia from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025) to 30 June 2026.
7 The term of office of Honduras will be from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference until 31 December 2025 and the term of office of Argentina from 1 January 2026 until 30 June 2028
8 The term of office of Niger will be from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference until 31 December 2026 and the term of office of Burkina Faso from 1 January 2027 until 30 June 2028.
9 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland replaced Spain from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference to 30 June 2026.
10 Malaysia replaced Thailand from 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2026.
11 The term of office of Ukraine will be from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference until 30 June 2026, and the term of office of Serbia from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2028
12 Spain will replace Iceland from 1 July 2026 to the end of the 45th Session of the Conference (2027).
13 Oman replaced Afghanistan for the remainder of its term of office (end of the 44th Session of the Conference to 30 June 2026) as Afghanistan was deemed to have resigned in accordance with Rule XXII, paragraph 7 of the GRO.
14 Italy stepped down from the Council effective at the end of the 44th Session of the Conference. Germany replaced Italy for the remainder of its term of office (end of the 44th Session of the Conference to 30 June 2026).
15 Netherlands (Kingdom of the) stepped down from the Council effective at the end of the 44th Session of the Conference. Ireland replaced Netherlands (Kingdom of the) for the remainder of its term of office (end of the 44th Session of the Conference to the end of the 45th Session of the Conference [2027]
16 Croatia stepped down from the Council effective at the end of the 44th Session of the Conference. Poland replaced Croatia for the remainder of its term of office (end of the 44th Session of the Conference to the end of the 45th Session of the Conference [2027]).
Current term of office: July 2023 – June 2028
| Africa | ||
|---|---|---|
| July 2023 (C 43) – 30 June 2026 | 1 July 2024 – June 2027 (C 45) | July 2025 (C 44) – 30 June 2028 |
Cameroon Lesotho Morocco Uganda | Burundi Congo United Republic of Tanzania | Ghana Kenya Niger 10 Senegal South Africa |
| Asia | ||
| July 2023 (C 43) – 30 June 2026 | 1 July 2024 – June 2027 (C 45) | July 2025 (C 44) – 30 June 2028 |
India Malaysia 1 Pakistan | Bangladesh China Indonesia Japan Philippines Republic of Korea | |
| Europe | ||
| July 2023 (C 43) – 30 June 2026 | 1 July 2024 – June 2027 (C 45) | July 2025 (C 44) – 30 June 2028 |
Germany2 Norway Swizerland3 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland4 | Iceland6 Ireland7 Poland8 | France11 Türkiye Ukraine12 |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | ||
| July 2023 (C 43) – 30 June 2026 | 1 July 2024 – June 2027 (C 45) | July 2025 (C 44) – 30 June 2028 |
Panama | Chile Ecuador 9 Guatemala | Brazil Colombia Honduras13 Jamaica Mexico |
| Near East | ||
| July 2023 (C 43) – 30 June 2026 | 1 July 2024 – June 2027 (C 45) | July 2025 (C 44) – 30 June 2028 |
Oman5 Egypt Saudi Arabia | Kuwait | Qatar Sudan |
| North America | ||
| July 2023 (C 43) – 30 June 2026 | 1 July 2024 – June 2027 (C 45) | July 2025 (C 44) – 30 June 2028 |
Canada United States of America | ||
| Southwest Pacific | ||
| July 2023 (C 43) – 30 June 2026 | 1 July 2024 – June 2027 (C 45) | July 2025 (C 44) – 30 June 2028 |
| Australia | ||
Membership Information
1 Malaysia replaced Thailand from 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2026.
2 Italy stepped down from the Council effective at the end of the 44th Session of the Conference. Germany replaced Italy for the remainder of its term of office (end of the 44th Session of the Conference to 30 June 2026).
3 Switzerland replaced Georgia from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025) to 30 June 2026.
4 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland replaced Spain from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference to 30 June 2026.
5 Oman replaced Afghanistan for the remainder of its term of office (end of the 44th Session of the Conference to 30 June 2026) as Afghanistan was deemed to have resigned in accordance with Rule XXII, paragraph 7 of the GRO.
6 Spain will replace Iceland from 1 July 2026 to the end of the 45th Session of the Conference (2027).
7 Netherlands (Kingdom of the) stepped down from the Council effective at the end of the 44th Session of the Conference. Ireland replaced Netherlands (Kingdom of the) for the remainder of its term of office (end of the 44th Session of the Conference to the end of the 45th Session of the Conference [2027])
8 Croatia stepped down from the Council effective at the end of the 44th Session of the Conference. Poland replaced Croatia for the remainder of its term of office (end of the 44th Session of the Conference to the end of the 45th Session of the Conference [2027]).
9 The 43rd Session of the Conference elected Ecuador and Peru, with Ecuador occupying the Council seat from 1 July 2024 until 31 December 2025 and Peru from 1 January 2026 until the end of the 45th Session of the Conference. Ecuador was deemed to have resigned in accordance with Rule XXII, paragraph 7 of the GRO. Having restored its eligibility on the Council, Ecuador was re-elected for the partial term of office from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference to 31 December 2025. Peru will replace Ecuador from 1 January 2026 until the end of the 45th Session of the Conference (2027).
10 The term of office of Niger will be from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference until 31 December 2026 and the term of office of Burkina Faso from 1 January 2027 until 30 June 2028.
11 The term of office of France will be from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference until 30 June 2026 and the term of office of Italy from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2028.
12 The term of office of Ukraine will be from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference until 30 June 2026, and the term of office of Serbia from 1 July 2026 until 30 June 2028.
13 The term of office of Honduras will be from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference until 31 December 2025 and the term of office of Argentina from 1 January 2026 until 30 June 2028.