FAO Governing Bodies

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.)

FAO Basic Texts (2017)

Mr Hans Hoogeveen (The Netherlands)
2021 - 2025

Appointment of the ICC (Vol.1, Art. V.2)
Appointment of the ICC (Vol.1, Sec.B, GRO XXIII)

FAO Basic Texts (2017)

Secretary-General

Mr Rakesh Muthoo

Director

[email protected]

Governing Bodies Servicing (CSG)

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 1 July 2024)

  • Afghanistan2
  • Angola1
  • Argentina1
  • Australia2
  • Bahamas1
  • Bangladesh3
  • Brazil1
  • Burundi3
  • Cameroon2
  • Canada1
  • Chile3
  • China3
  • Congo3
  • Costa Rica1
  • Côte d’Ivoire1
  • Croatia3
  • Ecuador3,4
  • Egypt2
  • France1,6
  • Georgia2,5
  • Guatemala3
  • Guinea1
  • Iceland3
  • India2
  • Indonesia3
  • Italy2
  • Japan3
  • Kenya1
  • Kuwait3
  • Lesotho2
  • Lithuania1,7
  • Mauritania1
  • Mexico1
  • Morocco2
  • Netherlands (Kingdom of the)3
  • Norway2
  • Pakistan2
  • Panama2
  • Philippines3
  • Qatar1
  • Republic of Korea3
  • Saudi Arabia2
  • Spain2,9
  • Sudan1,10
  • Thailand2,11
  • Uganda2
  • Ukraine1,8
  • United Republic of Tanzania3
  • United States of America1

Membership Information

Term of office: 1 July 2022 to end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
Term of office: end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) to 30 June 2026
Term of Office: 1 July 2024 to the end of the 45th Session of the Conference (2027)
Peru will replace Ecuador from 1 January 2026 until the end of the 45th Session of the Conference (2027)
Switzerland will replace Georgia from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025) to 30 June 2026
6
France replaced Germany from 1 July 2024 until the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
Lithuania replaced Israel from the end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
Ukraine replaced Slovenia from 1 July 2024 to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
The United Kingdom will replace Spain from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025) to 30 June 2026
10
Sudan replaced Iraq for the remainder of its term (from the end of 43rd Session of the Conference to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference) as Iraq was deemed to have resigned in accordance with Rule XXII.7 GRO.
11
Malaysia will replace Thailand from 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2026

 

Current term of office: July 2022 - June 2027


Africa
1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44)1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 20261 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45)

Angola

Côte d'Ivoire

Guinea

Kenya

Mauritania

Cameroon 

Morocco

Lesotho

Uganda

Burundi

Congo

United Republic of Tanzania

Asia
1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44)1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 20261 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45)

India

Pakistan

Thailand5

Bangladesh

China

Indonesia

Japan

Philippines

Republic of Korea

Europe
1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44)1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 20261 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45)

France1

Lithuania2

Ukraine3

Georgia6

Italy

Norway

Spain7

Croatia

Iceland

Netherlands (Kingdom of the)

Latin America and the Caribbean
1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44)1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 20261 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45)

Argentina

Bahamas

Brazil

Costa Rica

Mexico

Panama

 

Chile

Ecuador8

Guatemala

Near East
1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44)1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 20261 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45)

Sudan4

Qatar

Afghanistan

Egypt

Saudi Arabia

Kuwait

North America
1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44)1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 20261 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45)

Canada 

United States of America

  
Southwest Pacific
1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44)1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 20261 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45)
 Australia 

Membership Information

France replaced Germany from 1 July 2024 until the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
Lithuania replaced Israel from the end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
Ukraine replaced Slovenia from 1 July 2024 to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
Sudan replaced Iraq for the remainder of its term (from the end of 43rd Session of the Conference to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference) as Iraq was deemed to have resigned in accordance with Rule XXII.7 GRO.
Malaysia will replace Thailand from 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2026
Switzerland will replace Georgia from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference to 30 June 2026
The United Kingdom will replace Spain from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025) to 30 June 2026
Peru will replace Ecuador from 1 January 2026 until the end of the 45th Session of the Conference (2027)