Viorel Gutu
Assistant Director-General, Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia
Viorel Gutu has 30 years of experience in agricultural development, enterprise restructuring, structural reforms and private business development through his involvement in the public and private sector and his implementation of international projects.
A national of the Republic of Moldova, Viorel Gutu was appointed to the post of FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia in February 2024. Prior to that he served as FAO Subregional Coordinator for Central Asia and Representative for Türkiye and Uzbekistan.
He joined FAO in 2014 as the head of the FAO Tajikistan office, leading the Country Office in establishing productive relations with the national government and key donors.
Before joining FAO, Gutu was Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry in the Republic of Moldova. In this position, he was responsible for the coordination, monitoring and evaluation of strategic policy implementation in agriculture and rural development. He also served as an economic affairs officer with the United Nations Transitional Administration in Timor-Leste, where he dealt with peacekeeping operations, poverty alleviation and the prevention of emergency situations. He holds a doctoral degree in economics.
Zhanyl Bozayeva
Programme Coordinator and Team Leader at FAO Kazakhstan
Zhanyl Bozayeva has served as Programme Coordinator and Team Leader at the FAO Partnership and Liaison Office in Kazakhstan since 2021. In her capacity as Deputy Head of the Office, she plays a key role in coordinating and advancing FAO’s country programme, supporting the implementation of strategic priorities aligned with Kazakhstan’s national development agenda, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), and FAO’s Country Programming Framework (CPF).
Zhanyl contributes to the strategic coordination and implementation of FAO’s programme portfolio in Kazakhstan, supporting a diverse range of initiatives aimed at transforming agrifood systems, strengthening climate resilience, advancing food security, and promoting sustainable rural development. She works closely with government institutions, development partners, UN agencies, research and academic institutions, and other stakeholders to facilitate effective programme delivery, strengthen partnerships, and support policy dialogue.
Her responsibilities include supporting the development and implementation of programmes and projects, facilitating partnerships, coordinating technical assistance and capacity-building activities, and ensuring that FAO interventions are aligned with national priorities and international commitments. Through her work, she promotes integrated, evidence-based, and results-oriented approaches that contribute to the sustainability, resilience, and competitiveness of Kazakhstan’s agrifood sector.
Zhanyl holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and a Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy from Saken Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University. She also holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from Yıldız Technical University, Türkiye.
Prior to joining FAO, Zhanyl led national and regional projects focused on natural resource management and agrifood systems in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. She also worked with a subsidiary organization of the Ministry of Agriculture, where she contributed to the transfer and localization of agricultural technologies, knowledge, and practices.
Through her professional experience, Zhanyl has built extensive expertise in programme coordination, partnership development, sustainable agriculture, natural resource management, and stakeholder engagement. At FAO, she contributes to strengthening cooperation and institutional capacities and to advancing sustainable and resilient agrifood systems in Kazakhstan in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.