FAO Council (CC-702)

Previous Sessions and documents

Council - 171st Session - 5-9 December 2022
Council - 170th Session - 13 - 17 June 2022
Council - 169th Session - 8 April 2022
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Legal Framework

Article of Constitution

Article V

Origin

Established by the Conference at its Third Session (1947) to replace the original "Executive Committee of FAO" in accordance with a recommendation of the Preparatory Commission on World Food Proposals.

Rules of Procedure

See Basic Texts, Vol I - Section B, General Rules of the Organization and
Section D, Rules of Procedure of the Council of FAO

Category

Cat.1

Purpose

The Council, within the limits of the powers delegated to it by the Conference, acts as the Conference's executive organ between sessions. In particular, it exercises functions dealing with the world food and agriculture situation and related matters, current and prospective activities of the Organization, including its Programme of Work and Budget, administrative matters and financial management of the Organization and constitutional matters (Rule XXIV of the General Rules of the Organization).

The Council may establish Commissions, Committees and Working Parties under Article VI of the Constitution and approve, for submission to Member Nations, Agreements provided for under Article XIV.2 of the Constitution (Rule XXIV.4(a) and (b) of the General Rules of the Organization).

Note on methods of work of the Council

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Secretary-General

Mr Rakesh Muthoo, Director, Governing Bodies Servicing (CSG)

Membership

An Independent Chairperson, appointed by the Conference for two years, renewable for a further period of two years (Article V.2 of the Constitution and Rule XXIII of the General Rules of the Organization). Forty-nine Member Nations elected for three years, with arrangements for staggering expiry of terms of office, and each Member having one representative.

Chairperson

Mr Hans Hoogeveen

Number of Members

49 Member Nations:

Afghanistan¹ Angola³ Argentina³ Australia¹ Bahamas³ Bangladesh² Belarus² Bosnia and Herzegovina² Brazil³ Cameroon¹ Canada³ Chile² China²	Congo² Costa Rica³ Côte d’Ivoire³ Egypt¹ Equatorial Guinea² Eritrea¹ Ethiopia² France^1,4 Germany³ Guatemala^1,5 Guinea³ India¹ Indonesia² Iraq^{3, 10}	Israel³ Japan² Kenya³ Kuwait² Luxembourg^1,6 Malaysia^1,7 Mauritania³ Mexico³ Nicaragua² Pakistan¹ Peru² Philippines² Qatar³ Republic of Korea²	Russian Federation^1,⁸ Saudi Arabia¹ Slovenia³ South Africa¹ Sweden¹ Tunisia¹ United Kingdom^2,9 United States of America³
¹ Term of office: 1 July 2020 to the end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) ² Term of office: end of the 42nd Session of the Conference (2021) to 30 June 2024 ³ Term of office: 1 July 2022 to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025) ⁴ France replaced Germany from the end of the 42nd Session of the Conference (2021) to the end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) ⁵ Guatemala was elected at the 42nd Session of the Conference (2021) to the end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023), as Cuba was deemed to have resigned in accordance with Rule XXII.7 GRO ⁶ Luxembourg replaced Monaco from the end of the 42nd Session of the Conference (2021) to the end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) ⁷ Malaysia replaced Thailand from 1 January 2022 to the end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) ⁸The Russian Federation replaced the United Kingdom from the end of the 42nd Session of the Conference (2021) until the end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) ⁹ The United Kingdom replaced Spain from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2024 ¹⁰ Iraq was deemed to have resigned in accordance with Rule XXII.7 GRO.

Current term of office

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Languages

Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish

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Frequency of Sessions

Normally holds at least five sessions in a biennium

Division

Governing Bodies Servicing (CSG)

Contact information/email

[email protected]

First Session

Washington, 4-11 November 1947