PART IV - APPOINTMENTS AND ELECTIONS
QUATRIEME PARTIE - NOMINATIONS ET ELECTIONS
PARTE IV - NOMBRAMIENTOS Y ELECCIONES
LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL: Je vais donner lecture du résultat du scrutin pour l'admission d'Etats Membres.
CHAIRMAN: Thank you very much, Mr Director-General. May I now invite the new members to come forward.
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CHAIRMAN: It is a very great pleasure for me to extend a warm welcome to these new Members as they enter into membership of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. I wish to give the floor to the Director-General, who will address them.
LE DIRECTEUR GENERAL: Je serai très bref. Je voudrai, à mon tour, souhaiter la bienvenue aux neuf nouveaux pays membres et les féliciter chaleureusement. Je suis certain que leur appartenance à la famille de la FAO non seulement apportera des bienfaits à nos populations, mais aussi enrichira et fortifiera l'Organisation.
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Ashot VOSKANIAN (Armenia): On behalf of the Armenian government and Ministry of Agriculture, it is a great honour for me to express our gratitude for the election of the Republic of Armenia as a Member of your honourable Organization. We shall do our best to facilitate your noble mission to help the newly emerging countries in their agricultural and economic development.
The independence of our country has a history of only two years. During this short period of time much has been done towards the development of Armenian agriculture and the overall economic situation of the country. This has all been achieved in the face of the economic blockade which our country has suffered for the last four years.
Our first achievement was the land reform and privatisation of the lands which had formerly belonged to the collective and state farms (Kolkhozes and Sovkhozes). More than 90 percent of arable lands have been privatized, and 220 000 new agricultural enterprises and 5 000 cooperative farms have emerged so far. As a result of this, our people have been saved, despite the shortages of fuel and raw materials, from the most severe effects of the blockade. Agricultural productivity has doubled compared to 1990 and 1991. The entire production is not sufficient to meet internal needs but has saved the population from hunger.
We intend to change completely the structure of our agricultural policy from a collectivised system into a free and cooperative enterprise system. We need to change the agricultural educational system. We should re-organize the breeding system, seed planting, veterinary services, etc., so that they conform with the reality of the situation in Armenia. In general, the whole structure of the former system should be changed.
We hope our membership will also contribute to strengthening Armenia's relations with neighbouring countries, as well as with other former USSR republics and all other nations who stand ready to cooperate with Armenia, and we are open to any proposal for further cooperation in various fields. There is at the moment a special official FAO Mission in Armenia on irrigation and water problems. We hope that this mission will not be the last one and that there will be other FAO missions in Armenia.
As a newly independent country, Armenia pursues a peaceful policy. This policy was mentioned in the speech of our President, His Excellency Levon Ter-Petrossian during the United Nations General Assembly.
We highly appreciate the role of FAO in assisting our country. We consider our membership an important step forward for the development of agriculture, and particularly for agricultural extension projects.
We assume complete responsibility in this noble assembly which brings together different cultures and nations for the progress and development of humanity. Thank you once again.
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Ivan TARNAJ (Croatia): Having become a member of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the Republic of Croatia has joined the family of countries wishing to cooperate, within the international community, in the promotion of agricultural production and the improvement of the global food situation.
The Republic of Croatia and its agriculture look forward today to FAO'S understanding and assistance in order to be able, tomorrow, to assist all the member countries requiring help. In the restructuring of its agriculture and its post-war reconstruction, Croatia first of all looks forward to FAO's professional and technical help. Croatia has a sufficient number of well-trained and competent experts of different backgrounds, who, in cooperation with FAO specialists, can draft the best way towards a profitable, high-quality and environmentally-acceptable agricultural production in Europe.
Allow me to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to FAO and World Bank experts already engaged in two projects in the Republic of Croatia. We believe that this is a sign of trust and of interest in Croatia's agriculture. We also hope that these projects mark the beginning of long-term and successful cooperation, and that the Croatian delegation will be able to report the results achieved at the next conference.
As a full member Croatia will provide every support to all FAO activities.
We believe that the century-long experience of Croatia's agriculture, its European environment, major potentials, hard-working farmers and well-trained specialists can contribute to the work and activities of such an eminent specialized organization as the FAO. We, therefore, look forward to mutually beneficial future cooperation.
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Josef LUX (Czech Republic): It is a great honour and pleasure for me to be the Head of the delegation of the Czech Republic for the 27th Session of the General Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations at the time when just few minutes ago Member Nations of the Organization have agreed on the membership of our young Czech state in this largest specialized agency of the United Nations system.
Admission to FAO gives testimony about our political and professional interest in the implementation of the commitments and basic goals of the Organization in all of its Member Nations.
Following the above-mentioned fact, the Czech Republic as one of the successor states of the dissolved Czechoslovakia Federation wishes to follow the ideals with which Czechoslovakia participated in the foundation of FAO in 1945.
I am persuaded that the cooperation between the Czech Republic and FAO will be successful and advantageous for both the Organization and its Member Nations.
Finally, allow me on behalf of the Government of the Czech Republic to wish FAO and its 27th General Conference every success.
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Tesfai GHZRMAZION (Eritrea): On behalf of my Government, I wish to express my appreciation and gratitude to all Member Nations of the Organization for supporting us in becoming an integral part of this family of nations.
As a predominantly agricultural country, we intend to make a brief presentation at the appropriate moment during the Conference. We attach particular value and significance to this membership of FAO. I should like to assure you that it is the intention of my Government to be an active partner in FAO, both by learning from the Organization's extensive experience, in our efforts to develop our rural economy, as well as by sharing our experience, limited as it may be, with our sister nations, through the various fora organized under the auspices of FAO.
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Eftim ANCEV (The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia): Allow me to express my pleasure and appreciation for the participation of the Republic of Macedonia at the 27th FAO Conference, as an equal member. Also, allow me, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr Kiro Gligorov, the President of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia,
Mr Branko Crvenkovski, and myself, as head of the Macedonia delegation and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy, to extend my greetings, and to wish the Conference success in its work.
The Republic of Macedonia is situated in south Europe and occupies the central part of the Balkan Peninsula. It is a crossroads of international traffic and trade communications leading to the south towards the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean and towards central and western Europe, to the north. The Republic of Macedonia is characterized by a Mediterranean climate in- the south and along the River Vardar valley, a moderate continental climate in the east, and mountains in the west. Thus, the main features are long, hot and dry summers with temperatures up to 45°C and dry and severe winters with extremely low temperatures in some regions. A special characteristic of the climate in Macedonia is the extreme drought. I deeply believe that with membership of the Republic of Macedonia in the important and distinguished Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a new field for acquiring knowledge and experience and new horizons in the field of agriculture will be offered to us. I hope that we shall find common interests with all nations in the world in this field.
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POINT OF ORDER
POINT D'ORDRE
PUNTO DE ORDEN
Constantin G. POLITIS (Greece): I am speaking on a point of order. Along with other delegates, we have been happy to welcome new Member Nations within our Organization a few minutes ago. Amongst them was a state bearing the name "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". I draw your attention to the fact that just now the delegate did not use the accurate name of this new Member Nation of this Organization. I draw your attention to the fact that I request that the appropriate correction should be made to the Minutes of the Conference.
Lojze PETERLE (Slovenia): Mr President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, may I first of all congratulate the President of the Conference and the other Officers of the Conference on the election to their prestigious posts. We are sure that under their wise and skilful guidance the Conference will be brought to a successful end.
It is my great honour and pleasure to have the opportunity of addressing this General Conference on behalf of the Republic of Slovenia, a new Member Nation of FAO. I cordially thank all Member Nations for their support for our membership in the Organization.
Slovenia considers this event as a very important step toward its full integration in the international organization. With our admission to FAO, we have joined the large family of states which respect the principles underlying the welfare of all, famine extermination, solidarity, higher standards of living, sustainable development, environmental protection and other principles on which this Organization is based.
In addition to the classical development problems of the Third World, the international community has lately been increasingly confronted by issues such as global deterioration of the ecological balance, lack of a global strategy for the production and distribution of food, growing migration flows as a consequence of famine, increased demand for the provisions required by the growing number of refugees, and other matters.
Slovenia perceives FAO as a cornerstone organization in assuring respect for the rights of people to food. We expect further strengthening and adequate adjustment of the Organization to be able to respond efficiently to the growing needs of the world of today.
On this basis, Slovenia considers its admission to FAO as a token of special recognition as well as a commitment to do its utmost to contribute to the common values which FAO stands for.
We expect that, within the framework of the FAO programmes, our cooperation with FAO will speed up Slovenia's inclusion to economic integration, particularly in those areas in which FAO can render expert assistance.
We are confident that, together with other Member Nations of FAO which we are joining today, we will succeed in our common endeavours to create better conditions for our well-being and for the well-being of the coming generations.
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Peter BACO (Slovakia): Your Excellencies, Director-General, ladies and gentlemen, I have the honour of addressing the 27th Session of the General Conference of FAO and to make a public presentation at FAO Headquarters for the first time.
I take the liberty of assuring you that the Slovak Republic at the point of its entry into FAO comes with a commitment to play an active role in the process of fulfilling the objectives of this important organization of the United Nations. I would like to mention the fact that Slovakia, within the former Czechoslovak Republic, belonged to initiators and co-founders of FAO. The evidence of the good relations of Slovakia to FAO is our extensive cooperation over many years. Hundreds of Slovaks actively contributed to the successful realization of many important FAO projects in various parts of the world.
Slovakia's relations with FAO follow from existing beneficial cooperation but we also have rich historical traditions. The agrarian culture provides the evidence of early agrarian production in the territory of Slovakia which extends back thousands of years. Experts know well that in the year 1762 Queen Maria Theresa decided that the Academy of Mining and Forestry would be founded in Banska Stiavnica. The Academy grew in size and in the year 1824 the Institute of Forestry, the unique and first institution of higher learning of this type in the world, was founded. Foresters from almost the whole of Europe have been studying there. The roots of these traditions reach to our present time.
Priorities of the Slovak Republic in cooperation with FAO are influenced by present conditions of transition of our agriculture to the market economy and they fully respect the conceptual aims of the policy of the government.
The following goals have priority:
- the revitalization of the reproduction process in the agro-industrial production;
- the support of privatization of the primary agricultural production and food production by
means of institutional systematic measures;
- the technical and technological modernization of the food industry aimed at innovation
of the food assortment and higher quality of nutrition; and
- the enhancement of the pro export responsibility of our agriculture.
We do not wish our cooperation with FAO to be one-sided. The Slovak Republic, with its experts, is ready to take action in those areas where we have our strong points. These areas may be the FAO projects in water management, forestry, veterinary medicine and services, the food industry and human nutrition. We can provide training of experts for developing countries and offer our modern education centres.
Allow me to express our thanks for the trust you have rendered to the Slovak Republic by voting for its becoming a member of FAO. Our country deeply appreciates this membership and considers it a great honour. I would like to assure you that Slovakia's activity in FAO will not be oriented only to national or subregional interests. We are convinced that food producers, whether they live and work in the north or south, in better agricultural and climate conditions or in worse ones, always have a topic for dialogue. There are many good reasons for mutual understanding in the process of solving the existing contradiction between relatively high food surpluses in economically developed countries and the almost catastrophic shortage of food in some developing countries of Africa and Asia, as well as some countries of Eastern Europe.
Existing activities of Slovakia in FAO and the results of mutual cooperation allow us to hope that in the future we will manage to successfully participate in the work of this organization and also by means of our membership in its Council for which we are interested in applying.
Let me declare the relationship of the Slovak Republic to FAO with the symbolical words of one distinguished Slovak, Daniel Lichardus, who is well-known for his achievements in the field of agriculture. He said: "For mankind the one who grows a slice of bread is more useful than the one who wins wars".
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CHAIRMAN: The delegates of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Kyrgyz Republic do not appear to have arrived yet.
I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate all those delegates who have delivered their maiden speeches in this forum. We hope to hear from the delegates of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Kyrgyz Republic at some opportune moment.
This concludes for today Item 25 of the agenda which brings our membership up to 168 Member Nations, one member organization and one associate member. Of course, this agenda item will remain open until the matter of South Africa has been settled.
We will proceed to the next item of business which is to hear the report of the Credentials Committee which Conference appointed on Saturday morning.
Adoption of Report of Credentials Committee
Adoption du rapport de la Commission de vérification des pouvoirs
Aprobación del informe del Comité de Credenciales
Fotis G. POULIDES (Chairman, Credentials Committee): The Credentials Committee held its first meeting on 6 November 1993 at 16.00 hours and its second meeting on 8 November at 9.00 hours to examine the credentials of the delegations of members to the 27th Session of the FAO Conference.
The Committee commenced its work by selecting the delegate of Cyprus, Ambassador Poulides, as Chairman of the Committee.
In accordance with Rule III-2 of the General Rules of the Organization and the criteria established by previous committees, the Credentials Committee examined the credentials of the 165 delegations and found them to be valid.
The Member Nations to which these delegations belong are shown in the attached list. To date, four Member Nations have not registered: Yugoslavia, Central African Republic, Sao Tome, Bosnia Herzegovina. Any other credentials received will be examined by the Committee at subsequent meetings.
I give the list of members whose delegations have presented their credentials and which have been found to be in order: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, European Economic Community Member Organization, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, the Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Then we have the list of the applicant nations: Armenia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Eritrea, Kyrgyz Republic, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and South Africa.
That is a total of 170.
CHAIRMAN: You have had the report from the Chairman of the Credentials Committee. Are there any comments?
POINT OF ORDER
POINT D'ORDRE
PUNTO DE ORDEN
Hubert DE SCHRYVER (Belgique): M. le Président, je voudrais faire une courte communication. Au nom de la présidence en exercice de la Communauté européenne et de ses Etats Membres, j'ai l'honneur de porter à votre connaissance ce qui suit.
La présence à la Conférence générale d'une délégation zaïroise, menée par M. Massamba (Zaire), Vice-Premier Ministre, Ministre de l'Agriculture et du développement rural du gouvernement dirigé par M. Faustin Birindwa, n'implique aucunement que la Communauté et ses membres acceptent ce gouvernement. En effet, ce gouvernement n'est issu que d'un conclave politique composé uniquement de représentants de la mouvance présidentielle sans l'approbation du Haut Conseil de la République et par conséquent en dehors du processus de transition défini par la Conférence nationale souveraine.
CHAIRMAN: I have taken note of that comment from the delegate of Belgium.
Moomi TE AVELELA SAMBA (Zaïre): M. le Président, je viens de suivre les commentaires du délégué de la Belgique. C'est un pays ami. C'est son point de vue. Mais la délégation du Zaire, qui va assister à cette Conférence, a un plein pouvoir signé par le Président de la République du Zaïre, qui est aujourd'hui le Maréchal Mobutu Sese Seko et ce Président n'est contesté par personne.
Cela étant, en ce moment, c'est le représentant permanent du Zaïre auprès de la FAO qui dirige la délégation et je pense qu'il n'y a pas de problème. Je vous remercie M. le Président.
CHAIRMAN: Your statement has been noted.
Are there any further comments on the Report of the Credentials Committee? If there are none, I declare the Report of the Credentials Committee
adopted. I understand that this Report will be distributed later today as document C 93/LIM/7. This item with respect to the Report of the Credentials Committee is now closed.
ADOPTED
ADOPTE
APROBADO
CHAIRMAN: We move to item 27.1, the appointment of the Director-General. There were nine candidates for the post as indicated in document C 93/18. However, as indicated in document C 93/18-Corr.1, the Government of Greece has withdrawn the candidacy of Mr Politis. Accordingly, there are now eight candidates, namely Mr Salahuddin Ahmed, Mr Christian Bonte-Friedheim, Mr Gerrardus J.M. Braks, Mr Edward Patrick Cunningham, Mr Jacques Diouf, Mr Geoff Miller, Mr Rafael Moreno, Mr Maharaj Muthoo.
The vote is governed by Art. VII.1 of the FAO Constitution, which reads as follows: "There shall be a Director-General of the Organization who shall be appointed for a term of six years. He shall be eligible for re-appointment". Delegates, the voting will be by secret ballot and, in order to be appointed, the successful candidate must obtain a majority of the votes cast as specified in Rule XXXVI-l (b) of the General Rules of the Organization.
I now ask the Secretary-General to read the relevant instructions.
LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL: M. le Président, les délégués vont être appelés un par un à se rendre aux urnes où ils recevront chacun un bulletin de vote portant la liste des candidats par ordre alphabétique. Pour voter, les délégués devront indiquer leur choix en marquant d'une croix la case correspondant au candidat choisi.
Aux termes de l'article XII, alinéa iv) c) du Règlement général de l'Organisation, les bulletins blancs seront comptés comme abstention.
Aux termes de l'alinéa iv) d) du même article, les bulletins de vote ne doivent porter aucune indication ni aucun signe autre que celui par lequel s'exprime le suffrage, sous peine d'invalider le bulletin de vote.
Les scrutateurs qui seront désignés auront une autre fonction qui est de statuer, dans les cas douteux, sur la validité du bulletin de vote.
Je voudrais ajouter, pour l'information des délégués, que l'alinéa ix) f) de l'article XII en question prévoit la substitution du bulletin de vote rempli de manière défectueuse par un bulletin blanc, l'échange devant être effectué avant que le bulletin ne soit déposé dans l'urne.
Je vous remercie M. le Président.
CHAIRMAN: Under the provisions of Rule XII of the General Rules of the Organization, the quorum required for this election is a majority of the Member Nations of the Organization. This means that at least 85 Member Nations must be present in the hall at this time. I have requested the Officers in charge of the election to carry out a count and I am told that at this time there are at least 144 delegations of Member Nations present. We may therefore proceed to the vote.
May I remind you that in accordance with Rule XII-14 of the General Rules of the Organization, once voting has commenced no delegate or representative may interrupt the voting except to raise a point of order in connection with the voting.
In accordance with Rule XII-9(c) of the General Rules of the Organization, the Chairman of the Conference appoints two tellers from among the delegates, representatives or their alternatives. I will therefore request the delegates of Tunisia and Canada to serve as tellers for this election.
Hubert DE SCHRYVER (Belgique): M. le Président, j'avais préparé une intervention au nom des Etats Membres de la Communauté européenne et des Etats Membres du Groupe régional Europe pour vous demander de prévoir de brèves pauses de réflexion après l'annonce des résultats de chaque scrutin. Il n'est pas question de vouloir interrompre l'élection. Mais comme je ne pourrai plus, durant la journée, prendre la parole, j'ose espérer, M. le Président, que dans votre sagesse vous jugerez bon, à un moment donné de la journée, de cette longue journée, d'accorder aux délégations d'aller au moins se restaurer. Merci M. le Président.
CHAIRMAN: I have heard the comments of the delegate of Belgium. I believe that we are, indeed, in for a very long day. As Chairman, I would hope that we will conclude the election of the Director-General by early mid-afternoon. If we fail so to do, I should hope we will conclude in time to permit the Director-General to host his reception and to have a full turn-out of delegates. If we fail to come to a conclusion by that time we shall try to ensure we complete this item before we adjourn today's session. This would seem to indicate that so far as is possible we should have a continuing process.
It may be that during the course of the day everyone will find it absolutely necessary to have a short pause for reflection. The Chairman will get a sense of the feeling of the majority of delegates at that time, and will rule accordingly.
Vote
Vote
Votación
CHAIRMAN: The voting has now been completed and the tellers will withdraw in order to carry out the count of the votes.
In accordance with paragraph 9(g) of Rule XII of the General Rules of the Organization "only the candidates or scrutineers appointed by the candidates may attend the count, but they shall not take part in the
count". Therefore, any candidate who does not attend the count personally may designate one scrutineer to do so in his stead.
Whilst counting takes place, we shall proceed with the presentation of the B.R. Sen and A.H. Boerma Awards for 1992-93.
PRESENTATION OF B.R. SEN AND A.H. BOERMA AWARDS FOR 1992 AND 1993
REMISE PES PRIX B.R. SEN ET A.H. BOERMA POUR 1992 ET 1993
ENTREGA DE-LOS PREMIOS B.R. SEN Y A.H. BOERMA PARA 1992 Y 1993
CHAIRMAN: It is time to present the B.R. Sen Awards for 1992 and 1993. This award was established by the Conference in honour of Mr. B.R. Sen, who was Director-General of FAO from 1956 to 1967. The Award is made annually to a field officer who has made a special contribution to the country or countries to which he or she was assigned.
The prize consists of a medal, a scroll, a cash prize of $5 000 and a roundtrip for the winner and spouse to the Conference Session in Rome when the awards are distributed.
I will now ask the Director-General to introduce the winners and to present the B.R. Sen Awards.
DIRECTOR-GENERAL: As you have just reminded the Conference, these awards are presented in honour of the late Dr B.R. Sen, Director-General of this Organization from 1956 to 1967.
Each year the award is bestowed on the field officer who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the country to which he or she has been assigned.
On this occasion we shall be presenting the awards for 1992 and 1993.
The recipient of the 1992 award is Mr Sang-Kyun Choi, a citizen of the Republic of Korea.
He is chosen in recognition of his major contribution to the development of integrated watershed management in Myanmar.
By his pioneering efforts and able leadership, Mr Choi has motivated some 10 000 farmers to undertake improved community agroforestry and watershed management in remote and unsecured border areas, thereby generating income and alternative cash crops.
In endorsing the choice of Mr Choi for a Sen award, the Government of Myanmar has also recognized his dedication, his competence as well as his sincere and pleasant manner in involving farmers in all aspects of the project implementation.
For 1993, it is with particular pleasure that I introduce the awardee of the B.R. Sen Award being conferred, for the second time since its institution, to a woman: Ms Felicidad Lema Villareal.
Ms Villareal is a national of the Philippines.
She joined FAO in 1984 as FAO Regional Population and Rural Development Adviser, after 19 years of professional experience in her own country in promoting farmers' groups to improve their standards of living.
During her regional assignment in Bangkok, Ms Villareal was responsible for formulating, among others, seven important population projects in seven Chinese provinces.
In recognition of her unique contribution to the projects' development, the Chinese authorities requested the transfer of Ms Villareal to China in 1992 in order to ensure continued technical and management assistance.
Ms Villareal's role in the assessment and funding of rural township enterprises, and, above all, the establishment of self-help women groups who engage in savings mobilization and micro-enterprises, has given valuable support to improving the status of rural women through income-generating activities.
At the lowest village levels, she has been able to use indigenous cultural systems, linked to family or other local institutions, thus making a substantial contribution to sustainable development and poverty alleviation.
The Government of China, in endorsing the choice of Ms Villareal for this award, wishes to pay tribute to her untiring efforts, dedication and technical competence in support of rural women in improving their social and economic status.
CHAIRMAN: I now invite Mr Sang-Kyun Choi of the Republic of Korea to take the floor.
Sang-Kyun CHOI (PAO Staff): Mr Chairman, Director-General of FAO, Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, it is with profound emotion, humility and gratitude that I today receive the prestigious B.R. Sen Award for 1992. I wish here to specifically express to Dr Edouard Saouma, our esteemed Director-General, my sincere gratitude and thanks for the confidence he has placed in me by supporting and approving my candidature for this important award. Allow me also to pay special tribute to the late Dr B.R. Sen, who passed away last June. Receiving this prize today, which was established to honour the goals and ideals he served with great devotion, is indeed of special significance.
This prize is a great honour, not only for my family and myself, but also for the people of Myanmar in general, and the families in the project site in particular without whose cooperation this award would not have been possible. I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Government of the Union of Myanmar, especially to His Excellency the Minister for Forests and His Excellency the Minister for Agriculture for unreservedly endorsing my nomination and for their confidence in my work. I also wish to share this honour with my national counterparts.
Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen and colleagues, what we have done in Myanmar is but a small fraction of the overall efforts of our Organization to improve the living standards of the rural poor. Much more needs to be done, but the resources made available are steadily decreasing and the funds needed for development are unfortunately not always
channelled towards improving the living standards of the millions of rural poor around the world.
Finally, I wish to reiterate my sincere appreciation to all those who have made this award possible and would like to reassure you of my continued dedication to maintain the implicit confidence which both the Director-General and this Organization have placed in me by contributing, to the best of my ability, to the improvement of the quality of life of the rural poor.
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Ms Felicidad Laura VILLAREAL (FAO Staff): Mr Chairman, Director-General of FAO, Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, colleagues:
When Madame Song from Bai Xing village of Song Shu township, Minghe county in Qinghai province of China, was asked what the project has done for her, she responded:
"You do not need to ask that question - just look and see what has happened to us in our group. I can now read the newspaper with my 2 000 characters. I have become more conscious about my health because now I realize that this is my first capital. I have learned many good and important ideas about how to take good care of my children. My husband and I have decided that our two children are enough. He and I have started to plan beyond the usual "planting to harvesting" cycle. We now have a family life plan. My mother-in-law has a higher regard for me. Our lives are better. We have meat in our diet at least twice a week. We are able to undertake other economic activities besides producing grain and vegetables. I enjoy the challenge of going to the market and selling my goods. I have reached far away places, while before I was just around our farm with my donkey. I can now transact business with the bank, while before I had no idea of what goes on in that big building where only people with shoes and good clothes seemed to be allowed in, only to realize that it is nothing but our own small group "bank" in our savings and loan operation."
With tears in her eyes, Madame Song said, "I have found something which I did not know I had. I am my own person. The saying that women hold up half the sky now has a new meaning for me. My husband now has a better regard for me, while before he treated me like a hired hand. We have more conversations, meaningful and useful ones. "PO3" has given me a new start and it is now up to us to go further."
I believe Madame Song speaks for the millions of rural women, not only in China but of the world. The voices must be heard. I am here today because of them and on their behalf.
The honour which is being bestowed on me today, is both a privilege and a burden: a privilege because FAO has given me the opportunity to bring the voices of women like Madame Song to our consciousness; a burden because honour bestowed and accepted inevitably means responsibility. But I am grateful for both as they give me a renewed conviction of what Dag Hammarskjold once said:
"What distinguishes the elite from the masses is only their insistence upon "quality". This implies a responsibility to all for all, to the past for the future, which is the reflection of a humble and spontaneous response to Life - with its endless possibilities and its unique present which never happens twice."
May this occasion renew our conviction that the poor, women in particular, have their aspirations and a right to be part of the "elite" in our society.
In closing, my special thanks of gratitude go to Dr Edouard Saouma, our Director-General, for his continued support and encouragement to the staff working in the field and for his efforts in ensuring that women are better represented in the Secretariat. My thanks also go to my colleagues in the Regional Office in Bangkok and in particular to the Government of China for unreservedly endorsing my nomination for this prize. Finally, I join my colleague Mr Sang-Kyun Choi in paying a special tribute to the late Dr B.R. Sen in whose name this prize was established.
As a Filipino, please allow me to end this reflection in my native language to express my gratitude. "Maraming salamat". Thank you.
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MYINT AUNG (Myanmar): Mr Chairman, Excellencies and distinguished guests, I have much pleasure in offering my personal congratulations to Mr. Choi on being conferred the B.R. Sen Award for 1992. It has been presented in recognition of his outstanding contribution to integrated watershed management in Myanmar.
As the national authority directly involved in Mr Choi's activities, I have added pleasure in his nomination. Mr Choi has been contributing his invaluable professional services as Chief Technical Adviser to watershed management projects in Myanmar since the early part of 1990.
Mr Choi was originally contracted for watershed management in the Kinda Irrigation Dam catchment area. His sincerity and dedication was highly recognized during the process. Mr Choi was, accordingly, further requested to shoulder responsibilities for watershed management in catchment areas related to hydropower, municipal water supply and sloping land agriculture. He was also called upon to assist in the establishment of a "Watershed Management Section" within the Forest Department and the development of programmes for agroforestry practices in the dry-zone areas of Myanmar. Currently, he is also additionally engaged in border areas integrated agriculture development, an extremely important assignment, for improving the environmental and socio-economic conditions of Myanmar's rural and national resources of the border areas.
I would also like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to FAO for assigning Mr Choi and for providing invaluable technical assistance to our country's endeavours in this globally important task. Myanmar has been actively involved at national as well as
international level in ecological conservation activities. The successful implementation of the Myanmar FAO watershed management project reflects the political will of the Government of Myanmar and active participation of the people.
We remain deeply indebted to Mr Choi for his professional contribution to Myanmar. We look forward to his continuing assignment. At the same time we offer happiness and bliss to Mr Choi and his family on the occasion of deservingly winning the prestigious B.R. Sen Award for 1992.
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HUANG YONGNING (China) (Original language Chinese): First of all, please allow me, on behalf of the Government of the People's Republic of China, to congratulate Ms Villareal on her receiving the B.R. Sen Award. We firmly believe that Ms Villareal deserves the honour.
Since 1989 Ms Villareal has engaged herself in the UNFPA Finance Project for Women, Population and Development in China. From August 1992 onwards Ms Villareal stayed in China as a technical consultant for the project. She is hard-working. We are deeply impressed by her diligence and down-to-earth style of work. A number of times she herself went to some of the Chinese remote, poverty-stricken, mountainous areas to organize women there to take up embroidery and other handicraft-making and participate in agricultural production in an effort to raise the income level of rural women. Meanwhile, she also helped the relevant Chinese institutions train project management staff. Thanks to the implementation of this project, the income of women in the project area increased markedly and their economic and social status improved, thus promoting their deeper involvement in development activities.
No doubt this project brought about tangible economic and social impact. Therefore, the Chinese Government appreciates very much the efforts made by Ms Villareal in implementing the project and admires her dedication to the cause for which she works.
In conclusion, we would like once again to offer our congratulations to Ms Villareal. We look forward to seeing her making more outstanding contributions to the promotion of women's participation and development.
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Tae-Soo KIM (Korea Republic of): Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to begin by expressing my sincere thanks for the decision to give this year's B.R. Sen Award to Mr Sang-kyun Choi for his service to watershed management in Myanmar. The award given to Mr Choi is not only an honour for himself but a high honour for the Republic of Korea.
I am very proud of Mr Choi for his services to the people of Myanmar. I am sure that the B.R. Sen Award will be a very important occasion for many Korean experts who have strong motivations to work closely with the FAO in the years to come for the betterment of rural people, still fighting hunger and malnutrition throughout the world. We are pleased to say that we will collaborate with those countries who need our experience.
Mr Chairman, once again on behalf of the People of the Republic of Korea I would like to express my warm thanks to the FAO and to the people of Myanmar who have made the B.R. Sen Award possible for Mr Sang Kyun Choi.
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Roberto S. SEBASTIAN (Philippines): The Philippine delegation is deeply honoured to have a Filipino woman as a recipient of the B.R. Sen Award. We understand that this is the first time a woman has been given this prestigious award and we are extremely pleased that this goes to a countrywoman of ours. We join FAO in commending her work on Women, Population and Development and the Development of Communications in the People's Republic of China. This exemplifies the sharing of expertise in rural developments among developing countries which is an important cornerstone of FAO's mandate.
Once again we extend our warmest congratulations to Ms Felicidad Villareal.
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CHAIRMAN: The A.H. Boerma Award is a biennial one given to a writer or journalist whose writing or production on radio or television is likely to have increased international awareness of the world food problem and measures leading to its solution. It consists of a scroll, a cash prize of US$10 000 and a round trip to Rome for the winner and spouse.
I will now invite the Director-General to introduce the winner and to present the A.H. Boerma Award.
LE DIRECTEUR GENERAL: Merci M. le Président. Nous avons le plaisir de décerner le prix Boerma 1992-93 à Mme Franceline Oubda, jeune journaliste de la télévision nationale du Burkina Faso.
Ainsi donc deux femmes se sont vu attribuer deux prix sur trois aujourd'hui. J'espère que mon successeur étudiera la possibilité d'avoir un prix séparé pour les femmes et pour les hommes, sinon je suis certain que les femmes à l'avenir seront toujours gagnantes dans ces concours, parce qu'elles ont toujours démontré beaucoup de dévouement.
Mme OUBDA anime une émission de télévision, "Femmes et développement", d'une excellente qualité technique et journalistique, qui aborde les thèmes importants du développement sur leurs aspects économiques, sociaux et culturels à travers le regard des femmes.
L'émission constitue en quelque sorte un forum où les femmes sont invitées à raconter leur expérience, à discuter des problèmes de toute sorte qu'elles doivent affronter pour participer activement au développement, mais où elles peuvent aussi parler du succès des activités qu'elles ont mises sur pied, encourageant ainsi d'autres femmes à suivre leur exemple.
Ce témoignage des femmes sur leurs conditions de vie et de travail est d'autant plus fructueux qu'il est ponctué d'interventions de responsables politiques et de techniciens qui y sont conviés pour aider à trouver des solutions concrètes aux problèmes abordés.
L'émission "Femmes et développement" incite donc les autorités à mieux reconnaître la contribution potentielle des femmes dans le processus du développement du pays et à accroître le soutien communautaire aux mesures prises pour les aider dans leur tâche. Madame, vous avez su mettre votre compétence, votre talent et votre coeur dans ce projet ambitieux mais combien noble. Continuez, avec tout l'enthousiasme que vous y apportez, à donner la parole aux femmes et à les faire participer fructueusement au développement de votre pays. Nous vous félicitons chaleureusement et sommes heureux de vous remettre maintenant le prix du nom de mon prédécesseur.
Mme Franceline OUBDA (Journaliste de Burkina Faso): Monsieur le Directeur général de la FAO, honorables invités à la session biennale, c'est un réel plaisir pour moi aujourd'hui de prendre la parole à l'occasion de cette remise du prix A.H. Boerma pour dire qu'au-delà de ma modeste personne c'est l'Afrique tout entière et le Burkina en particulier qui viennent d'être honorés.
A l’instar de nombre de pays qui ont compris la nécessité de faire contribuer la femme au développement communautaire, le Burkina Faso, dans le cadre de sa politique d'autosuffisance alimentaire, accorde une place de choix à la femme et singulièrement à celle du monde rural.
Ce choix tient compte des potentialités et du dévouement de la femme rurale à oeuvrer pour participer pleinement au développement socio-économique malgré la précarité de ses conditions d'existence.
Mes oeuvres que vous venez de primer se veulent le reflet fidèle du vécu quotidien des femmes de mon pays et sans doute de la femme en Afrique. Le souci qui m'anime c'est d'être l'écho, à travers ce merveilleux outil qu'est la télévision, des nombreuses préoccupations, des attentes renouvelées et des angoisses existentielles des femmes.
Ces productions qui viennent d'être honorées portent également en elles les espoirs de ce qu'il est convenu d'appeler l'autre moitié du ciel. Elles sont le témoignage en images de mes soeurs, de mes mères et des femmes de ma génération. Ce sont ces femmes que vous avez encouragées et stimulées avec l'attribution de ce prix.
Mon souhait est que ce prix que je viens d'obtenir puisse .susciter des actions concrètes sur le terrain en vue de permettre à la femme de mieux se prendre en charge. Pour ma part, en tant que communi cat ri ce utilisant la télévision comme média, je m'engage résolument à porter toujours plus haut la voix des sans voix, celle des femmes à travers les images que je produirai. Pour cela, Monsieur le Directeur général, honorables invités, je plaide pour la cause des communicatrices doublement concernées par la cause de la femme, d'abord en tant que femmes et ensuite en tant que communicatrices. Ces femmes de l'audiovisuel sont toujours animées de grandes ambitions mais souvent limitées par les moyens compte tenu de la crise économique que traversent la plupart de nos pays. Les médias du sud ont déjà fait leurs preuves dans la mobilisation des ressources humaines pour la cause du développement; seulement, leurs élans sont freinés par le manque de moyens matériels et financiers. Un soutien dans ce sens insufflerait plus de dynamisme dans le rôle qu'ils sont appelés à jouer.
Avec votre permission, Monsieur le Directeur général, honorables invités, je voudrais dédier ce prix à son Excellence Monsieur Biaise Compaore, Président du Burkina, dont la politique a pris en compte la valeur de la femme comme élément incontournable dans le processus de développement.
Cette politique a permis à la femme du Burkina Faso de prendre en main son propre destin et de se mettre en avant-garde sur les fronts de bataille pour son émancipation réelle: Libération économique, sociale, politique, lutte contre la faim, etc.
C'est sans doute ces raisons qui m'amènent à prendre la parole devant vous aujourd'hui pour parler de mes soeurs du milieu rural dont le dynamisme n'est plus à démontrer.
Monsieur le Directeur général, honorables invités, tout en espérant que les conclusions issues de cette rencontre tiendront compte de la situation socio-économique de la femme, je souhaite plein succès à vos travaux.
Je vous remercie.
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Bruno Nongoma ZIDOUEMBA (Burkina Faso): Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Directeur général, Mesdames et Messieurs les Délégués, au nom de la délégation du Burkina Faso, je voudrais remercier la FAO pour le choix d'une ressortissante du Burkina Faso pour recevoir, cette année, le prix Boerma. La lauréate, Madame Franceline Oubda, est une journaliste bien connue au Burkina Faso où elle anime une émission très prisée des téléspectateurs burkina-be.
Cette émission "Femmes et développement", pour laquelle Madame Oubda est primée aujourd'hui, met l'accent sur la place de choix et le rôle moteur de la femme dans le processus de développement économique et social du Burkina et dans la recherche des solutions aux problèmes de 1 ' agriculture et de l'alimentation. Nous sommes heureux de constater que l'impact de cette émission dépasse le cadre des frontières de notre pays et que son écho retentit dans des sphères aussi prestigieuses que la FAO.
A travers la personne de Madame Oubda, ce sont toutes les femmes du monde, et particulièrement les femmes rurales d'Afrique et du Burkina Faso, qui se sentent récompensées. Le Burkina Faso est très sensible au choix du jury et tient à exprimer officiellement à la FAO, par ma voix, sa reconnaissance et ses vifs remerciements.
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CHAIRMAN: We now have the results of the vote on the appointment of the Director-General. Since no candidate has obtained the majority of votes cast - that is, since no candidate has received 82 votes - we must proceed to a second ballot among all candidates. I should point out that in the event that no candidate obtains a majority of votes cast in the second ballot the candidate receiving the smallest number of votes in the second ballot will be eliminated as specified in paragraph 1 (b)(ii) of Rule XXXVI of the General Rules of the Organization.
May I ask the tellers to resume their places in the voting area so that we can immediately proceed to a second ballot.
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CHAIRMAN: The voting on the second ballot is now complete. The tellers will withdraw in order to carry out the count of the votes.
I should just like to repeat that only the candidates or the scrutineers appointed by the candidates may attend the count, but they shall not take part in the count.
As in the first ballot, any candidate who does not attend the count personally may designate one scrutineer to do so in his stead.
The counting of the first ballot took approximately one hour. I have no doubt that the counting of the second ballot will take approximately the same time. I believe the next 60 minutes during which the votes are being counted will afford delegates the opportunity to refresh themselves.
The meeting was suspended from 12.15 to 13.30 hours.
La séance est suspendue de 12 h 15 à 13 h 30.
Se suspende la sesión de las 12.15 a las 13.30 horas.
CHAIRMAN: We will now resume the Third Plenary Session. You will recall that we adjourned for the second ballot to be counted.
I now have before me the result of the second ballot.
CHAIRMAN: Delegates, as specified in Rule XXXVI-l(b)(ii) oí the General Rules of the Organization, the candidate receiving the smallest number of votes in the second vote will be eliminated. Two candidates have tied for that position, Mr Cunningham, Ireland, and Mr Braks, the Netherlands. In the meantime the Bangladesh delegation has informed us that it wishes to withdraw the candidature of Mr Salahuddin Ahmed who received two votes.
When we go to third ballot, therefore, the name of Mr Ahmed will not appear. In the meantime there will be consultation between the Netherlands' candidate and the Irish candidate as to whether there is going to be a voluntary withdrawal of one or both of them.
Ireland has withdrawn its candidate, Mr Cunningham. The Netherlands has withdrawn its candidate, Mr Braks.
Delegates, I have to announce that, consequent on the withdrawal of three candidates from the race, we will require a few minutes to re-print the ballot papers that will show the five candidates who remain. In other words, you will have approximately five minutes to consult, if necessary, and for the easing of tension. It will be five minutes before the ballot is ready. Relax for a moment.
The ballot papers containing the names of the 5 remaining candidates are ready. The candidates are as follows: Christian Bonte-Friedheim, Germany; Jacques Diouf, Senegal; Geoff Miller, Australia; Maharaj K. Muthoo, India; Rafael Moreno, Chile.
Will the tellers please take up their positions at the ballot station, please. I now invite the Secretary-General to call the delegates one by one.
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CHAIRMAN: The results of the third ballot are in hand.
CHAIRMAN: These results mean that under Rule XXXVI-l (b) (ii) of the General Rules of the Organization Mr Bonte-Friedheim is eliminated at this stage. There are, therefore, four candidates remaining in the race --Mr Geoff Miller of Australia, Mr Jacques Diouf of Senegal, Mr Rafael Moreno of Chile and Mr Maharaj Muthoo of India.
The ballot papers are ready. May I invite the tellers to go to the ballot stations. The Assistant Secretary-General will call the voters.
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CHAIRMAN: I have the result of the fourth ballot and I regret to say that the result is still inconclusive.
CHAIRMAN: What these results mean is that the candidate from India, Mr Muthoo, has been eliminated from the race. There are three candidates remaining, Mr Moreno of Chile, Mr Miller of Australia and Mr Diouf of Senegal.
I recognise the delegate of Ghana.
George LAMPTEY (Ghana): At this stage of the proceedings, in the name of the African group, I ask for a brief adjournment in the proceedings to allow for a short consultation.
K.M. KANGAI (Zimbabwe): I should like to second the motion by Ghana.
José Antonio OCAMPO GAVIRIA (Colombia): Nosotros queremos apoyar, señor Presidente, la moción y solicitamos que sea de una hora.
CHAIRMAN: If there are no objections, I intend to support the request for a short break. It is now 15.50. We will break until 16.45.
Constantin G. POLITIS (Greece): I think the Africans are very nice people who can finish their business more speedily, in half an hour. I feel that we are being over-burdened by expecting a whole hour. I move that we have a half-hour break at the most.
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CHAIRMAN: It seems to be the will of the majority of the delegates that we break for half an hour. We will adjourn until 16.25.
The meeting was suspended from 15.55 to 16.40 hours.
La séance est suspendue de 15 h 55 à 16 h 40.
Se suspende la sesión de las 15.55 a las 16.40 horas.
CHAIRMAN: There are three candidates remaining in the race for Director-General. Under the Rules there are two ballots that shall be held among the three remaining candidates. Should one of those three secure a majority of all the votes cast, that candidate shall have been elected to the post of Director-General. Should none of the three candidates obtain a majority, a second ballot will be necessary, the reason being that none of the three candidates will be eliminated at the next ballot.
The next ballot is going to be the fifth ballot and the candidates are: Mr Jacques Diouf, Senegal; Mr Geoff Miller of Australia and Mr Rafael Moreno of Chile. May I ask the tellers to go to the voting booths so we can commence the fifth ballot.
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CHAIRMAN: The results of the fifth ballot are now available.
Juan Agustín FIGUEROA YAVAR (Chile): Señor Presidente, cumplo con el deber de anunciar oficialmente el retiro de la candidatura de Don Rafael Moreno. El fundamento de la decisión del Gobierno de Chile nace del acuerdo presidencial emanado de la voluntad del Presidente Patricio Aylwin de Chile y el Presidente Abdou Diouf de Senegal. Este acuerdo, de fecha 2 de junio del año en curso señala en el párrafo pertinente: "Dado que tanto Chile como Senegal presentaron un candidato al cargo de Director General de la FAO, con el apoyo de los países de América Latina y el Caribe y de la Organización para la Unidad Africana, respectivamente, ambos Presidentes concluyeron en que los esfuerzos por llevar a buen término ambas candidaturas deberían realizarse en un espíritu de no confrontación, sino de concertación y consulta permanente, con el objeto de llegar a un acuerdo para que uno de los candidatos del mundo en desarrollo sea el nuevo Director General de la FAO. Estimamos que de ese modo se garantizaría una mayor preocupación por los graves problemas que presenta al respecto el mundo en desarrollo."
En esta oportunidad solemne quiero expresar en nombre de mi Gobierno los agradecimientos a aquellos países que en las sucesivas rondas nos han apoyado con gran lealtad y manifiesto espíritu de amistad. Quiero señalar entre ellos, muy particularmente a los países de América Latina y el Caribe, a España, Portugal y a Italia, a países de Europa del Este, del mundo árabe, de Africa y de Asia.
Quiero también señalar que este acuerdo celebrado entre Chile y Senegal nos impulsa a hacer un caluroso llamado a los que han sido nuestros seguidores en esta elección para que sigan el camino que nosotros estamos trazando y en consecuencia presten su entusiasta apoyo a la candidatura de Senegal, para así asegurar la buena y correcta dirección futura de esta importantísima Organización.
CHAIRMAN: Delegates, you have all heard the statement by the leader of the Chilean delegation announcing the withdrawal of Mr Rafael Moreno from the race. What this means is that it is therefore unnecessary to have a second ballot with three candidates. That means that we shall proceed to a sixth ballot in which the candidates will be Mr Jacques Diouf of Senegal and Mr Geoff Miller of Australia. We are in the process of having the ballot forms prepared with the names of those two candidates. As soon as they are ready we will proceed to vote for the sixth time.
Roberto ABDENUR (Brazil): On behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean Group I would ask for a brief pause so that we can have a meeting of our own to discuss the continuation of this election.
Felipe SOLA (Argentina): Como punto de orden para apoyar la petición de mi colega del Brasil en el sentido de tener en este momento una pausa para negociaciones que consideramos importantes y necesarias en este momento.
Sadeq Amin ABU-RAAS (Yemen) (Original language Arabic): Mr Chairman, I do not think that we ought to have too many breaks in the session. In my opinion, we should proceed straightaway and not put the next ballot off.
José Antonio OCAMPO GAVIRIA (Colombia): Quiero respaldar la moción que hizo Brasil en nombre del Grupo Latinoamericano y del Caribe.
Mario NUFIO GAMBRO (Honduras): Honduras apoya la moción de Brasil, apoyada también por Colombia.
Juan Rafael LIZANO SAENZ (Costa Rica): Costa Rica apoya, señor Presidente, y cree que-es absolutamente necesario el receso, y apoya la moción de Brasil.
CHAIRMAN: We have heard some recommendations for a short break so that there may be consultations before the final poll. As we approach the finishing line it certainly would be appropriate for some time to be given for consultation. It is now nineteen minutes to six. I am going to rule that we have a break and resume at 6 o'clock sharp.
The meeting was suspended from 17.40 to 18.00 hours.
La séance est suspendue de 17 h 40 à 18 heures.
Se suspende la sesión de las 17.40 horas a las 18.00 horas.
CHAIRMAN: The meeting is now resumed. Shortly before the break there was an announcement of the withdrawal of the candidature of Mr Rafael Moreno of Chile. This leaves two candidates in the race and, as we enter the sixth ballot, it appears as if this could be the final ballot. If I were to liken the remaining candidates to race horses, I should probably say that they were in the final furlong, or maybe within shades of the finishing post. Be that as it may, I now invite the tellers to proceed to the voting booths so that the Assistant Secretary-General can invite delegates to poll their votes.
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CHAIRMAN: I understand that you have all voted and that the tellers have gone to count the ballots. We hope that they will return shortly and that we shall be in a position to announce the result of the sixth ballot before too long.
There are times when sharp political analysts can properly call a result before it is announced or indeed before the votes are counted. Just in case this has not happened, I wish to give you the results of the sixth ballot.
CHAIRMAN: In view of the fact that Mr Jacques Diouf has secured 90 votes, he is declared the winner of the contest. May I invite him to join us on the platform at this stage.
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CHAIRMAN: It gives me great pleasure to be the first to congratulate Mr Diouf of Senegal upon his election to the post of Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This certainly must be one of the most keenly contested elections, any of us in this hall - maybe most of us - have ever witnessed or, indeed, taken part in.
Both the candidates and the supporting delegations have conducted themselves in a very orderly and dignified manner befitting this noble Organization of which we are Members. Therefore, I would wish to heartily congratulate not only Mr Jacques Diouf who has emerged the victorious candidate, but all the other candidates. They fought a good fight and they carried themselves with a decorum worthy of the Member Nations they represented. May I express my hearty thanks to all the delegates assembled here who gave their full cooperation and support to ensure the voting and the counting of the votes proceeded as smoothly and as quickly as they did. I would like to say a special word of thanks to the tellers and, indeed, to all the election officers.
At this stage, may I invite Dr Edouard Saouma to say his piece.
LE DIRECTEUR GENERAL: M. le Président, je suis très heureux d'avoir un successeur et je suis particulièrement content de l'avoir en la personne de M. Diouf. Comme vous l'avez dit, cette élection s'est déroulée dans une atmosphère agréable, sereine, dénuée de polémiques; et tout le mérite vous en revient, M. le Président. Je voudrais féliciter également les délégués qui ont maintenu cette atmosphère agréable. Je voudrais exprimer à mon tour toute ma sympathie à tous les candidats qui ont souhaité me succéder. Un seul devait réussir, ce fut M. Jacques Diouf. Rappelez-vous qu'à l'issue des élections de 1987, ici même, le candidat africain n'a pas été élu. L'Afrique a alors dit: "Nous reviendrons." Et voilà que l'Afrique est revenue après six ans..
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Je connais bien M. Jacques Diouf. J'ai collaboré avec lui pendant plusieurs années lorsqu'il était Secrétaire exécutif de l'Association pour le développement de la riziculture en Afrique de l'Ouest. Puis, beaucoup de mes collègues l'ont côtoyé à l'occasion de sa participation à nombre de comités importants, comme le Groupe consultatif sur la recherche agricole internationale. Nous avons la même formation, figurez-vous. Jacques Diouf est diplômé de l'Ecole nationale d'agriculture de Grignon; moi, je suis diplômé de Montpellier. Donc nous avons une formation universitaire semblable. Vous avez dû noter que M. Diouf, comme le montre son curriculum
vitae, a l'avantage de posséder une compétence dans différents domaines, que ce soit dans l'administration, dans le domaine scientifique, le domaine politique ou le domaine diplomatique. Sa connaissance de deux langues très importantes va lui faciliter beaucoup la tâche. Je suis sûr qu'il saura diriger le bateau et le mener à bon port. Je voudrais assurer le nouveau Directeur général de ma sympathie, de mon amitié et de l'appui de tous mes collègues du Secrétariat. Je lui formule mes meilleurs voeux de succès, car son succès sera aussi le mien. Je vous remercie M. le Président.
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CHAIRMAN: There are a number of delegations who have indicated their wish to speak. I am thinking of the delegations of Senegal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, India, Lebanon, Syria, Australia, Morocco, France, the United States and a large number of others, but at this stage I think I ought to ask the newly elected Director-General, Mr Jacques Diouf, to say a few words.
Jacques DIOUF (Directeur général élu): Monsieur le Président, Monsieur le Directeur général, Mesdames et Messieurs les ministres, honorables chefs de délégations, chers amis, par la grâce de Dieu, il vous a plu aujourd'hui de m'élire au poste de Directeur général de la FAO. Je me dois de remercier tous ceux qui ont contribué à cette élection et, d'abord, mes frères d'Afrique, les Chefs d'Etat et de gouvernement d'Afrique qui m'ont fait confiance en me désignant à Dakar, en juin 1992, candidat unique de l'Afrique au poste de Directeur général de la FAO. Je dois donc remercier tout particulièrement mon Président, le Président Abdou Diouf, qui a présenté ma candidature à ses pairs et obtenu cette décision unanime.
Mes remerciements vont aussi à mes frères des pays arabes qui ont été à mes côtés, à mes frères des Caraïbes, à mes frères de l'OCI, de l'Asie, du Pacifique, de l'Europe et de l'Amérique latine. Je dois tout particulièrement rendre hommage aux candidats de l'Inde et du Chili qui, avec élégance, ont décidé de se retirer et d'appuyer ma candidature. Je leur sais gré de ce geste de solidarité dont je mesure la qualité.
Je dois remercier aussi le Directeur général, Edouard Saouma, qui a eu la lourde responsabilité de diriger pendant 18 années cette institution si vitale pour les populations de notre planète Terre. J'ose espérer pouvoir bénéficier de l'offre qu'il a bien voulu faire de se mettre à ma disposition pour m'aider dans cette tâche difficile qui m'attend.
Je voudrais aussi remercier les représentants de tous les Etats Membres ici présents. Il y a eu une compétition et, à la suite de cette compétition, le Directeur général a été choisi. Mais que tous sachent que j'ai la ferme intention de servir l'ensemble de la communauté internationale et de respecter l'idéal d'universalisme de cette institution des Nations Unies.
Je mesure aussi le poids de la fonction de Directeur général de la FAO quand on est dans un monde de cinq milliards de personnes, qui va atteindre six milliards en l'an 2000 et neuf milliards en l'an 2030. Je mesure le poids qui pèse sur la fonction de Directeur général lorsqu'on sait qu'aujourd'hui il y a 780 millions de personnes qui n'ont pas accès à la
nourriture. Je mesure ce poids lorsque je pense aux 192 millions d'enfants au-dessous de cinq ans qui sont dans une situation de déficit protéique et énergétique et qui souffrent dans différentes parties du continent.
Je voudrais donc vous lancer un appel, à vous tous qui avez participé à la désignation du Directeur général de la FAO, pour qu'ensemble nous travaillions pour relever le plus grand défi de l'unanimité, qui est le défi de la faim.
Je vous remercie.
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CHAIRMAN: There are many distinguished delegates who have indicated a wish to speak - Senegal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, India, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, the United States of America, Costa Rica, and many others. I hope you will permit me first to call upon the delegate of Australia, who was a final candidate in the race with Mr Jacques Diouf, to make the first intervention, and I will then proceed to ask the other delegations to speak.
Simon CREAN (Australia): Mr Chairman, thank you, on behalf of the Australian delegation, for the opportunity to speak at this stage. It has been a long day and I do not intend to take a long time. I congratulate Mr Diouf on his successful campaign and the fine way in which he fought it. It was a long series of battles and it was fought right down to the wire.
To those who supported our candidate, our deepest appreciation to you, but, if I can say so on behalf of those who did support our candidate, the result is now known, we fully support the decision of the Conference of FAO, we look forward to working with Mr Diouf as the new Director-General and we commit our full support to continuing the activities of FAO.
We congratulate Mr Diouf and wish him every success.
Moustapha NIASSE (Sénégal): Monsieur le Président, Excellences, Mesdames, Messieurs.
Des voix plus autorisées que la mienne parleront tout à l'heure au nom du continent africain, parce que, comme vous le savez, cette candidature était une candidature africaine que l'Afrique a projetée, que l'Afrique a défendue, et que l'Afrique a conduite avec la solidarité des autres nations. Si aujourd'hui cette victoire de la démocratie est enregistrée, c'est d'abord au nom de l'Afrique que le secrétaire général de l'OUA, le Docteur Salim Ahmed Salim et Monsieur George Lamptey, coordinateur du Groupe africain, diront mieux que moi les mots de remerciements au nom de l'Afrique.
Mais en qualité de chef de la délégation du Sénégal, j'ai l'obligation agréable de dire quelques mots à l'adresse de l'Assemblée, d'abord, au nom du Président, Abou Diouf, Président de la République du Sénégal, qui a accepté avec plaisir de présenter la candidature du Docteur Jacques Diouf
et de la recommander à l'Organisation de l'Unité africaine qui l'a parrainée au nom du peuple sénégalais et du Gouvernement sénégalais. Quant au secrétaire général de l'OUA, Ahmed Salim, qui a conduit les démarches et les contacts, je voudrais lui rendre hommage devant l'Assemblée tout entière et lui rendre notre reconnaissance et notre considération.
Le Docteur Jacques Diouf était le candidat de l'Afrique. A compter de ce jour, il est et il sera le Directeur général de la FAO tout entière, c'est-à-dire de tous les pays membres et de tous les peuples qui vivent dans ces pays.
Vous savez tous qu'une élection comme celle-ci qui suit une longue procédure, n'est possible qu'à la suite de contacts longs et patients. A l'occasion de ces contacts, nous avons identifié une grandeur d'esprit et une générosité de la part du Docteur Muthoo et de la délégation de l'Inde, pour la façon dont la candidature de l’Inde a été retirée et la façon dont ce retrait a été présenté. Nous en tirons une grande satisfaction et nous rendons hommage à l'Inde, à la délégation indienne, et au Docteur Muthoo.
Dans le même esprit, nous ne saurions oublier le Docteur Moreno, qui, longuement, patiemment, depuis plusieurs mois, a entrepris, comme les autres candidats, des démarches, ajoutées aux démarches de son pays, et qui, aujourd'hui, solennellement a déclaré ici qu'il retirait sa candidature, respectant ainsi les dispositions du 5 juin 1993 signées à Dakar par le Ministre des affaires étrangères et moi-même pour un désistement mutuel au cas où, à la fin du scrutin l'une des candidatures serait mieux placée que l’autre.
Je ne saurais oublier les groupes régionaux africains et aussi les pays arabes, les pays asiatiques, les Caraïbes.
Il faudrait que vous me permettiez de citer l'exemple qu'a constitué depuis de longs mois l'action du Docteur George Lamptey, notre ami, notre frère, notre camarade.
On a pu penser que cette candidature était d'abord la candidature de George Lamptey. Il est juste, il est normal, et c'est avec sincérité que nous le disons, qu'ensemble nous lui rendions hommage aujourd'hui pour l'action qu'il a menée sous l'égide du Groupe africain à la FAO.
Monsieur le Président, deux phénomènes dominent aujourd''hui le monde. C'est d'abord la mondialisation de l'économie, et donc de la crise. Ce sont ensuite les grandes mutations qui marquent l'évolution du monde. Entre les deux rives de ce cours d'eau, le monde doit relever le défi des temps modernes, et l'humanité doit retrouver son identité originelle. L'humanité doit retrouver cette identité qui est de jouir de la nature, qui est de jouir des bienfaits dont le monde est doté depuis des millions d'années, en protégeant l'environnement, en nourrissant les populations, en les soignant, en les éduquant. Il faut que cela soit fait dans la paix, dans l'unité, dans la solidarité, par la concertation dans l'amitié et dans la concorde.
CHAIRMAN: In order to accommodate the many Member Nations who have expressed the desire to speak, may I appeal to all those whom I shall recognize to be as brief as they possibly can be on this occasion.
Abdullah AL-MUSAED (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of) (Original language Arabic): Mr Director-General, on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, I should like to congratulate you most warmly on your election as Director-General of FAO. I hope you will have every success in fulfilling and discharging this heavy duty. We pledge to offer you every help and assistance. We have complete trust and confidence that you have the ability and competence to discharge your duties for the benefit of all.
Before I end these words, I should like to thank the man who, at the head of this Organization, has represented our area in the best way possible, Dr Edouard Saouma. We do indeed owe him a great debt. He has achieved many things, including the Technical Cooperation Programme. We wish him every success in the future.
Balram JAKHAR (India): Mr Chairman, thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak. This has been a friendly match, and the winner is there. We must all congratulate him. I know that this is for the greatest good of the Organization and that our brother, Mr Diouf, will do what is needed of him. I also know that he will follow in the illustrious footsteps of his predecessor, Mr Saouma. We had decided that one of us should be there. I hope that Mr Diouf will fill the void and keep the flag flying for all peoples throughout the world who are in such dire need.
I again congratulate Mr Diouf. I wish him every success and assure him that he will have fullest cooperation from all of us.
Adel N. CORTAS (Liban) (Langue originale arabe): Au nom de mon pays, le Liban, qui a des liens si chaleureux et si étroits avec le Sénégal, j'aimerais féliciter mon ami, mon frère, Jacques Diouf, à l'occasion de sa brillante élection au poste de Directeur général de la FAO. Monsieur le Directeur général, j'aimerais vous assurer que mon pays vous donnera toute l'aide que vous pourrez en attendre pour les projets et les programmes que vous mettrez en oeuvre dans l'avenir.
En outre, je félicite l'Afrique pour son succès dans cette lutte amicale, et je tiens à féliciter le tiers monde auquel elle appartient.
Enfin, j’aimerais vous féliciter particulièrement parce que vous appartenez à la même école que moi. Vous venez de Grignon et moi aussi, j'ai été élève de Grignon. Je suis plus âgé que vous, et, si j'ai un espoir à formuler pour l'homme qui a fréquenté la même école que moi, c'est qu'il puisse maintenir les réalisations, les succès auxquels nous avons assisté dans notre Organisation. J'ai eu l'honneur de travailler dans cette Organisation pendant 23 ans, et je sais quels ont été les succès et les réalisations auxquels nous sommes arrivés. Je fais voeu pour qu'il en soit de même à l'avenir et que l'Organisation continue de connaître les mêmes succès.
Enfin, j’aimerais remercier et féliciter tous ceux qui ont participé à cette campagne pour l'élection du Directeur général, les candidats qui n'ont pas gagné, mais qui ont su se retirer avec grâce. Je tiens donc à les féliciter, et en particulier mes collègues, Muthoo et Moreno qui m'ont accompagné pendant toute une vie.
Je voudrais aussi, Monsieur le Président, vous féliciter de votre grande sagesse et de la façon dont vous avez su mener à bien nos travaux.
Aujourd'hui, grâce à votre expérience, à votre sens de l'humour, nous avons pu arriver à ce résultat et je vous en remercie.
Zine El Abidine SBBTI (Maroc) (Langue originale arabe): Je voudrais féliciter Monsieur Jacques Diouf pour son élection au poste de Directeur général de l'Organisation. C'est un honneur pour tous les pays africains, pour tous les pays arabes et les pays en développement. Je sais que le Directeur de l'Organisation utilisera tous les moyens possibles pour qu'elle joue son rôle, qu'elle s'acquite de la tache de soutien aux PUD, pour soutenir les pays en développement, en coopération avec les pays industrialisés.
Nos félicitations vont donc à notre frère Jacques Diouf, sans pour autant oublier tout ce qu'a fait au cours des 18 années précédentes notre ami Edouard Saouma, qui a donné à notre Organisation sa dimension actuelle avec le rôle qu'elle joue dans le monde. Je renouvelle mes félicitations à Monsieur Jacques Diouf, et j'espère que ses travaux dans l'avenir seront couronnés de succès. Je suis sûr qu'il parviendra à n'acquitter de ses fonctions de la meilleure manière possible. Nous sommes tous prêts à coopérer avec lui avec enthousiasme, le même enthousiasme avec lequel nous avons travaillé pour son élection aujourd'hui. Nous connaissons les problèmes auxquels le monde fait face aujourd'hui: l'explosion démographique, les problèmes de nutrition. Ce sont des problèmes très graves. Nous redisons encore une fois à notre frère que nous sommes avec lui que nous le soutenons de toutes nos forces, et avec tout notre enthousiasme.
Assad MUSTAFA (Syria) (Original language Arabic): I should like to congratulate you, Mr Chairman, on your patience and on your wisdom in presiding over these six rounds of balloting which have allowed us to elect Mr Jacques Diouf as the new Director-General of this Organization. On behalf of the group of Arab nations that I represent at this Conference, and on behalf of my government, I should like to offer my most sincere congratulations to the Director-General elect.
I should also like to express my joy at seeing that so many countries have placed their trust in you, Mr Diouf. This is proof of your competence, of your qualities, of your skill and of your knowledge. We know that you merit the trust of many millions around the world.
I should also like to pay the greatest tribute to Dr Edouard Saouma, the Director-General of the Organization. We thank him for all of his efforts over the last 18 years, which have meant, of course, that he is the person so many of us have trusted during those years. We all know full well all of the achievements made during those years under Dr Saouma.
For the future, both our differences and our common ground allow us to hope that this Organization will profit, will make progress and that a great deal of what has been done is the result of all the efforts undertaken by the international community. Once again, we should like to thank Dr Saouma.
For this post we wanted someone who would merit and be worthy of leading the work of this Organization, which is a very noble one. We are convinced, Mr Jacques Diouf, that you are the ideal person to respond to the aspirations of so many millions, all of whom you have mentioned, stating that you would be serving them.
I would also like to congratulate and say to those candidates who were not successful that we appreciate their democratic spirit.
We would also like to wish Mr Jacques Diouf every success for the future. We are at your disposal and, of course, give you our full support from the Arab region. We would like to join the African group and all countries in the international community in supporting you.
Richard E. ROMINGER (United States of America): Today we have seen democracy at work. We have been fortunate to have a large number of excellent candidates for the position of Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization. All of these candidates have campaigned very hard and have earned the respect and admiration of all FAO member countries. Each one of them has contributed to the dialogue on FAO's future and helped to shape our vision of that future.
We would also like to thank the current Director-General, Mr Saouma, for all the good work he has done for the Organization in the past 18 years.
However, now that the voting has been completed and member countries have made their choice, the United States of America and Canada would like to congratulate Mr Diouf and pledge him our support and cooperation as the new Director-General of FAO. He will prepare this Organization for the next century.
Juan Rafael LIZANO SAENZ (Costa Rica): Sr. Director General, Sr. Director electo, para los que venimos de países democráticos hoy ha sido un ejemplo de lo que es el derecho a elegir y ser electo. Yo me siento muy bien y creo que todos los que estamos aquí, de haber tenido una Asamblea tan exitosa y haber llegado a resultados como los de hoy.
Sr. Jacques Diouf, me impresionó su discurso y me impresionó su propósito de que este mundo no tenga mas niños con hambre y yo creo que si Ud. en su período y todos los que estamos unidos a la FAO lográramos eso en los próximos seis años, habríamos hecho la historia que el mundo necesita.
Ahmed Ali GENIEF (Sudan) (Original language Arabic): On behalf of the Republic of Sudan, I should like to extend my congratulations to our brother, Jacques Diouf. I should like to congratulate him on his election as Director-General Elect of this Organization. We believe that this is a choice which he deserved, because choosing Jacques Diouf from Africa is a great honour for black Africa, for that black continent.
This is also proof of the confidence and trust which is placed in the Third World, that the Third World can run the affairs of this Organization. This indicates a considerable transformation and a source of great pride for Africa, but at the same time a great responsibility that we have to shoulder vis-à-vis world agriculture and food. We know that Mr Diouf is able to run the business of this Organization. After this great contest, he has now been elected and we believe that he is the ideal person to run this Organization.
Edouard Saouma has managed the Organization for 18 years. Our brother, Edouard Saouma, has all the merits because he has allowed this Organization to develop to its present level of excellence and to be an Organization
which attracts so many candidates, which in turn has allowed Mr Diouf to be elected. We believe that the last 18 years which have elapsed are now years which can be built on in a positive fashion, particularly now that we are going through difficult times. We need a lot of determination and a lot of will, so that the mission of this Organization can be put into effect: that is to say, to serve the poor of the world and develop world agriculture.
We should like to extend our fraternal greetings to Jacques Diouf. We are prepared to give you all the assistance you need in your task. After these ballots we consider that you are indeed the person who will serve the whole of mankind.
Geoffrey Lee MILLER (Australia): Thank you very much, Mr Chairman, for recognizing me personally on this occasion.
Mr Jacques Diouf, from the bottom of my heart you have my deepest congratulations on your success in this campaign.
I should also like to extend my heartiest congratulations to the people of Africa. This is indeed a day of celebration for Africa. I must say to you honestly that I hoped on this particular occasion to be sitting where you are sitting. Having said that, I knew that, if I had been sitting where you are sitting, then I would be taking on an extraordinarily daunting challenge. I am sure you feel in your own heart exactly the same way as I would have done had I been in your position.
You are following in the footsteps of Edouard Saouma, whom I still regard as a very good personal friend and for whom I have the greatest respect. This institution has been built into a great institution, in no small part because of the hard work that he has put into it and the many battles that he has fought over the past 18 years.
It is now passing into your hands. We have had a very good election contest. You are Director-General and I am unemployed! I wish you well. I congratulate not only you but the whole team from Africa who stood behind you. During the campaign I visited 20 African countries. I enjoyed every one of those visits. There is a daunting challenge to be taken on in Africa, but I know that there are many hundreds of thousands of African leaders and professionals who are taking up that challenge. I am glad that you are the one to succeed Edouard Saouma, if it could not be me, and I wish you all the best.
I would also like to congratulate all the competitors who contested this event with us. I think we had a very good, clean, long, hard marathon. The marathon is over. You have broken the tape and may God bless you.
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CHAIRMAN: Delegates, I hope you will agree with me that Conference is extremely indebted to Mr Geoff Miller for those very gracious remarks.
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George LAMPTEY (Ghana): First, I want to thank the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Senegal for his kind words about me and Mrs Lamptey.
Secondly, I want to express gratitude to Mr Moreno and Mr Muthoo and the groups that supported them for the attitude they took when we approached them for support during the course of these difficult elections.
I also want to thank the whole assembly here for supporting the African candidate.
I speak in the name of the African Group here in expressing these thanks. From the moment that we started this campaign I had one conviction, that in the end Jacques Diouf would be the Director-General of FAO. If I was unbending in my dealings with all the other candidates who came to my office or here to appeal for support, and if I was unbending in my support for Jacques Diouf, it was because I felt it was just and equitable that a continent which has the largest bloc of nations in this Organization, for which everything is agriculture and which is trying for the third time for the post of Director-General, should have the support of the Organization.
I was sure that in the end the Member Nations here would come to the same conclusion. I thank you.
It has been a long drawn-out battle but, as all of you have noted, it has been fair and it was won fairly.
I thank my African brothers because, as I told them yesterday, other candidates may be seeking jobs, wanting to do something, but for Africa it is to reclaim a heritage. We wanted to send a message from here today that the marginalization of Africa will now be stopped.
I want the Secretary-General of the OAU who is present here to go back to Addis Ababa and tell our Heads of State that the message I took to them in Cairo has been delivered and that today we have won an historic victory. We now have an African Director-General.
Mr Director-General, I have had many discussions with you on this matter. I have told you of my knowledge of Jacques Diouf. I repeat that Jacques Diouf is going to be a very worthy successor to you. Jacques Diouf is going to be, as he told you, a universal Director-General. He will be a Director-General for all the poor, for all who suffer and for all those who have no food to eat today. In the name of Africa, I thank this Assembly.
Adel Mahmoud ABOUL-NAGA (Egypt) (Original language Arabic): The Egyptian delegation and the Egyptians who are at the head of the OAU would like to congratulate Jacques Diouf who is an OAU candidate because it is through our Organization that we have decided on this candidacy. We are very aware of the needs of all countries in the world. It is an awareness of those needs which has allowed him to serve countries throughout the world.
We have to say that we will be good partners. We will allow him to do everything necessary to fight against hunger in the world.
I would like to present my congratulations to Dr Edouard Saouma for all the efforts he has undertaken on behalf of this Organization over the last 18 years.
Marwan R. KAMAL (Jordan) (Original language Arabic): Allow me personally and on behalf of the Jordanian delegation to offer my warmest congratulations to the new Director-General, Mr Jacques Diouf, on his victory in the elections. We are certain that his great expertise, his great sagacity and his conviction and determination to lead this Organization are going to make him the perfect person to follow in Dr Saouma's steps.
The Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is looking forward to greater cooperation with this Organization under the new Director-General whom we salute heartily. We shall exert every effort in order to make the path easier for him so that we may all benefit.
It is incumbent upon me to point to the great spirit which all the candidates displayed in this contest. I hope they will have every success in the future. May God's peace and blessings be upon you all.
Jerry GANA (Nigeria) : I would like to take this historic opportunity to congratulate the Director-General elect. We are delighted that, with your experience you are qualified, competent and cultured. We know that you are going to do an excellent job as Director-General of FAO.
On behalf of the Nigerian delegation, indeed on behalf of the Government and peoples of Nigeria, we congratulate you. We wish you a very fruitful term of office. We do hope that you will generate the team work that will create hope for the hopeless and food for the hungry. May you continue in this place the excellent tradition of leadership in such a way that many parts of the world will feel the impact of this centre of excellence. Congratulations.
Ahmed AL-THANI (Qatar) (Original language Arabic) : In the name of God the Merciful and Benevolent, Mr President and Mr Director-General, on behalf of the State of Qatar, I would like to congratulate the newly elected Director-General, Mr Jacques Diouf. I hope he will have every success in shouldering his responsibilities at the head of this Organization.
I would like to thank Dr Edouard Saouma on the wonderful achievements that we have all witnessed during the past 18 years.
Jacques LAUREAU (France): Au nom du Gouvernement français qui vient d'adresser immédiatement un message à M. Diouf, je voulais féliciter M. Diouf pour son élection et le saluer, parce qu'il est ce qu'il est, avec toutes les qualités qu'on lui connaît et qu'il a prouvées tant dans ses fonctions gouvernementales que dans ses fonctions financière smultilatérales, je le rappelle.
Nous le saluons aussi parce qu'il est sénégalais, c'est-à-dire venu d'un pays ami du nôtre.
Nous le saluons enfin parce qu'il est un Africain qui connaît les besoins des pays en développement et qui aura à coeur d'y répondre.
Monsieur Diouf, vous pouvez compter sur le soutien actif de mon pays pour vous aider à mener à bien la lourde tâche qui vous attend.
Je voudrais saluer MM. Muthoo et Moreno, qui ont eu une élégance très rare dans les enceintes internationales, pour la manière dont ils se sont comportés. Et enfin, j'ajouterai bien entendu un mot à mon ami M. Saouma pour lui dire combien nous sommes heureux que s'établisse une continuité entre lui-même et M. Diouf.
Laszió VAJDA (Hongrie): Je voudrais bien féliciter M. Diouf pour son élection comme Directeur général de la FAO.
Je voudrais bien aussi féliciter l'Ambassadeur Lamptey du Ghana qui avait dirigé la campagne de M. Diouf avec une grande professionnalité et qui avait aussi l'intention d'établir des liens parmi les représentants des pays d'Europe centrale et orientale et M. Diouf.
A travers des documents et des contacts personnels, nous avons l'impression que M. Diouf a du bon sens et des sentiments pour les problèmes de toutes les régions agricoles du monde.
Nous espérons aussi que la région de l'Europe centrale et orientale, où l'agriculture est en transition et connaît des problèmes qui y sont connectés, recevra l'attention nécessaire de la part du nouveau Directeur général. Nous sommes prêts pour une collaboration fructueuse.
LIU JIANG (China) (Original language Chinese): First, please allow me, on behalf of the Chinese delegation and in my own name, to offer congratulations to Mr Jacques Diouf on his excellence and on his appointment as the new Director-General of FAO.
The Chinese Government has always paid great attention to the role played by FAO and has always kept close contact with FAO.
We have noted that Dr Saouma during his term of office has done a great deal for FAO and for agriculture in the world. Under his leadership we have implemented many plans of action to promote agricultural centralization, etc. All this has revitalized FAO's activities and has played an important role in giving more support to developing countries.
We believe that the new Director-General, Mr Diouf, with his able leadership and rich experience will lead FAO to make more contributions in eradicating poverty and in solving the problems of the world's food and agricultural situation, especially in helping developing countries to develop their agriculture. The Chinese Government will, as always, offer its full support to FAO's activities. We are willing, together with other Member Nations, to make our contribution to the world's food and agricultural development.
CHAIRMAN: We are receiving an increasing number of requests from speakers wishing to make interventions. I sense too that there are other delegates who would wish to make their intervention after they have had a rest.
Before we adjourn I will take a couple more speeches and may I ask delegates to be as brief as possible.
I will call on the delegate of the United Kingdom to speak and then the delegate of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to close the evening's proceedings.
N.B. HUDSON (United Kingdom): On behalf of the OECD countries, I should briefly and simply like to join other delegations in recalling all the notable work that Dr Saouma has undertaken over the past 18 years, in congratulating Mr Jacques Diouf on his election, and in offering commiserations to the losers in a fine and well-run contest.
I would like to put on record that the new Director-General will have our fullest support in the tasks that lie ahead, as of course will the Organization of which he will be the Head.
Allan CRUICKSHANK (St. Vincent and the Grenadines): On behalf of the countries representing the Caribbean community, I would like to congratulate my friend and brother on his election to this very prestigious United Nations organization. We are pleased to be associated with his victory. We feel confident that he will discharge his responsibilities with excellence, impartiality and authority, in the same manner that his predecessor, Dr Edouard Saouma, has in the past 18 years or so. Please be assured of our fullest cooperation. The journey you have started today could be long and successful if you do the right things for the Member Nations.
Raphaël RABE (Madagascar): Le Gouvernement de la République de Madagascar voudrait par la voix de sa délégation ici présente féliciter très chaleureusement Monsieur Jacques Diouf pour sa brillante élection au poste de Directeur général de la FAO.
Cette victoire de Monsieur Jacques Diouf n'est pas seulement la sienne propre mais aussi et surtout de tous les pays africains, de tous nos peuples qui luttent contre la pauvreté, la faim, la malnutrition et la marginalisation.
Nous pouvons maintenant dresser la tête car nous sommes fiers, et cette fierté nous la défendons envers et contre tous, si besoin en était, nous y parviendrons en soutenant vigoureusement les actions de notre nouveau Directeur général; soyez en assuré M. le Directeur général. Que Dieu vous garde !1
Costas PETRIDES (Cyprus) : Mr Chairman, I wish to convey, through you, the warmest congratulations of my Delegation to Mr Jacques Diouf of Senegal for his election as the new Director-General of FAO. His election to this important post is surely a great honour for his country Senegal and Africa, but, also for the large family of the developing countries, which are counting on the assistance of FAO.
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1 Texte reçu avec demande d'insertion du procès-verbal.
We have listened with great interest to the brief statement of Mr Diouf, following the announcement of the election results and we do realize that the new Director-General of FAO is well aware of the problems and challenges facing this Organization, as well as the pressing needs for nutrition and sustainable agricultural development in many of Member Nations.
I wish to assure the new Director General, Mr Diouf, of our active support and cooperation for the successful implementation of the difficult task he is undertaking.1
K.M. KANGAI (Zimbabwe): Mr Chairman, the Director-General, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, may I take this opportunity to join other delegates, on behalf of the Government and people of Zimbabwe, to congratulate Mr Jacques Diouf on his appointment as the incoming Director-General of the FAO.
I have known him personally and have had a chance to discuss agricultural issues with him. He has an impressive understanding of agricultural problems in Africa and worldwide. He has participated in capacity-building initiatives in Southern Africa and it is our sincere hope that we will continue to give him maximum support in this regard.
We appreciate the magnitude of the challenges that lie ahead of him, and I am confident that he will live up to them.
In congratulating M. Diouf I cannot fail to appeal to all nations to give their maximum support both financially and technically, as the success of the Organization hinges on our joint efforts.2
Toketel FORSSIDO (Ethiopia): Ladies and Gentlemen as Ethiopia plays a leading role in the unity of Africa and stands for its principles; at this juncture, on behalf of my Government and its delegation I would like to express my heart-felt congratulation to Mr Diouf upon his election as Director-General and to all who stood for this cause.
Ethiopia, being one of the founding members of FAO, admonishes the objectives of this important Organization, upholds its principles and her support to a stronger FAO is unswerving!
After having travelled a long distance for almost 50 years our Organization, for the first time, has made a history by placing an African on the drivers seat. My country is thankful indeed to this world community for the trust made not only to Mr Diouf, but to Africa as well. It is our hope and wish that Mr Diouf will drive the vehicle safely into the year 2000 with all the boarding members well-fed!
Election has been won. It is also over. Now the important agenda of FAO remains. The task ahead for the newly elected Director-General is extremely tough and challenging too. It requires that all member countries along with their regional organizations including OAU, ECA, OECD, Group 77, and others
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1 .
Statement inserted in the Verbatim records on request.
2 Statement inserted in the Verbatim records on request.
should work hand in hand. To this end OAU, an organization that contributed Jacques Diouf should take a leading role in mobilizing its member nations and all other regional bilateral and multilateral organizations to meet FAO's objectives.
Let us come together, pull our efforts and resources to overcome poverty. Ethiopia will be in the forefront to stand alongside of the newly elected Director-General as he strives to meet the challenges (of our time) facing food and agriculture. 1
Milad Abdessalam HMEYLA (Libya): Mr Chairman, my delegation seizes this opportunity to congratulate you and your friendly country on your appointment as Chairman of the FAO General Conference in its 27th Session. Your broad-mindedness and knowledge shown in the proceedings of the Conference are good indications that this appointment was an excellent one.
Mr Director-General elected, you were elected as a Director-General of FAO to succeed Mr Edouard Saouma whose efforts and strife to achieve the goals of FAO for the long period of his management, leaving valuable achievements and success which will facilitate the way for his successor who will take over the responsibilities of safeguarding such achievements for the benefits of the Member Nations.
This appointment comes in the right time. You are up to this important international post. We promise you to stand hand in hand with other benevolent Member Nations, consolidating and supporting you to achieve human goals in fighting poverty and hunger in our world and in conserving its natural resources for coming generations.1
Carlos TORRES MANZO (México): La delegación de México felicita afectuosamente al Excelentísimo Señor Jacques Diouf por su elección como Director General de la FAO. Su formación, su experiencia en cuestiones del desarrollo, de la agricultura y de la alimentación, pero sobre todo su calidad y calidez humana son atributos del Señor Diouf que le permitirán guiar nuestra organización de manera firme para hacer frente a los retos del fin de siglo. Al darle una calurosa bienvenida, el Gobierno de México reitera su apoyo irrestricto al nuevo Director General y le desea el mayor de los éxitos en su gestión.1
Simon ZUKAS (Zambia) : May 1 on behalf of Zambia and on my own behalf congratulate Mr Jacques Diouf on his success in being elected our new Director-General.
We thank the outgoing Director-General for supporting Zambia in the year of drought, and look forward to work with the incoming Director-General in making Zambia not only self-sufficient in food, but also to become a Breadbasket for our Region which still has several countries with food shortage.
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1 Texto incluido en las actas a petición expresa.
Our congratulations also go to the unsuccessful competitors who fought a fair fight for our support - they retain our respect. Thank you Mr Chairman.1
Hiroaki KISHI (Japan): Mr Chairman we accept with a great pleasure the result of the election of the new Director-General held yesterday, and wish to express our hearty congratulations to Dr Jacques Diouf as Director-General of this important organization, to which Japan attaches a great importance.
We believe Dr Diouf will be able to address a lot of challenges facing this Organization, and discharge his responsibilities for the purposes of FAO with his able leadership and wisdom.2
Charles C. STOLL (Canada): La délégation américaine a déjà félicité Monsieur Diouf de son élection comme Directeur général de la FAO au nom de la région nord-américaine. Mais comme nous notons que de nombreuses délégations ont choisi de s'exprimer de façon particulière à ce sujet, le Canada est heureux de joindre la voix à celle de tous ses collègues qui ont tenu à féliciter Monsieur Diouf de son accession aux hautes fonctions et lourdes responsabilités de Directeur général de la FAO. Les liens étroits qui unissent le Canada et l'Afrique de même que l'appartenance commune du Canada et du Sénégal à la francophonie accentuent ce plaisir.
L'élection de Monsieur Diouf a été acquise dans le cadre d'un processus démocratique. Le Canada donne donc son plein appui au nouveau Directeur général et entend travailler avec lui de façon constructive à la poursuite des objectifs de la FAO et à son adaptation aux nouveaux défis auxquels notre organisation doit faire face. Tous nos voeux de succès accompagnent notre nouveau Directeur général, Jacques Diouf.2
Francis M. KANGAUDE (Malawi): Mr Chairman, on behalf of my delegation I would like to convey the sincere congratulations and best wishes of the Government of the Republic of Malawi to Mr Jacques Diouf on his election to the position of Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Mr Diouf is well known to us in Malawi and we recognize his good qualities, excellent qualifications and capabilities. We believe he is the man to replace Mr Saouma to run the affairs of FAO to the satisfaction of the needs of its member countries.
We would like to assure Mr Diouf that Malawi will cooperate with him and support him in his task.
I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate and to thank Mr Edouard Saouma on his successful completion of eighteen years of duty asDirector-General of FAO. Malawi benefited much from FAO's programmes as
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1 Statement inserted in the Verbatim records on request.
2 Texte reçu avec demande d’insertion du procés-verbal.
result of his personal attention to our needs. I wish him a happy retirement. Thank you.1
Karl Erik OLSSON (Sweden): On behalf of the Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and my own country Sweden, I want to extend my warmest congratulations to the Director-General elect, Mr Jacques Diouf. I also want to congratulate the entire African group. The election of an African to this post marks an important milestone in the history of this Organization. It is a difficult task he is called to take on. Let me assure you that the Nordic delegations stand ready to cooperate actively to make the task as easy as possible.2
Tennyson Roscoc G. WELLS (Bahamas): Mr Chairman, Mr Director-General, Distinguished Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, I heartily congratulate the Director-General-Elect, Mr Diouf, on his well-fought and well deserved victory. I also wish to congratulate the candidates from Chile, Australia and India on their courageous fight together with the other candidates.
After meeting and talking with the new Director-General, the Bahamas believe that he is the right person in the right place at the right time. We believe that he understands the needs of the poor and the developing world, and that he understands the need for cooperation between the developing and the developed world and would be able to harmonize their respective interests in terms of trade, technical and financial assistance and aid.
We wish the Director-General-Elect every success, and may God bless him, the FAO and all the distinguished Delegates and Representatives assembled here.2
M. MAJIDUL-UL-KAQ (Bangladesh) : Bangladesh would like to add its warmest congratulations to Mr Jacques Diouf on his election to the post of Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization. The elections were heavily contested but in the best traditions of democratic elegance and style. We are sure that Mr Jacques Diouf with his proven administration capability and political skills, will be an adroit Captain to steer us forward and ahead in the turbulent waters of the turn of this century. We wish him all success and Godspeed.2
Noah M. NKAMBULE (Swaziland) : Mr Chairman, on behalf of the Government and the people of the Kingdom of Swaziland, I thank you for allowing me this brief opportunity to congratulate our Director-General-Elect Mr Jacques Diouf, a son of Africa, for winning this election. We rejoice with him, we rejoice for him, we rejoice for Africa and for the developing world at large.
Through his competence and vast experience in the field of agricultural development, Mr Diouf has shown that Africa is not only ready to win hard contests like this one, but will further demonstrate that he is capable to direct and manage this noble Organization for the good of all mankind. There is no doubt that under his leadership FAO will deliver the goods in
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1 Statement inserted in the Verbatim records on request.
2 Statement inserted in the Verbatim records on request.
such a manner that the whole world will feel the real pulse of this UN Organization.1
Ivan TARNAJ (Croatia): Mr Chairman, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, Republic of Croatia appreciates this opportunity for being able to congratulate Mr Jacques Diouf, excellent winner in the very hard and very fair race for the post of the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
As the new Country admitted to the FAO yesterday, we are able to share deep and warm feel of hope and victory with African countries. Africa was the winner for the post of Director-General of FAO, Croatia together with other admitted Countries was the winner in seeking the full membership in FAO, and Democracy was winner in this hall.
Our warm congratulations and support to the new Director-General of FAO -Mr Jacques Diouf!1
Issa KALANTARI (Iran, Islamic Republic of): Mr Chairman, thank you very much for giving me the floor. On behalf of myself and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations to H.E. Mr Jacques Diouf as the new Director-General of FAO. Mr Director-General we all are aware that the global food situation in general and in some of the Third World countries in particular is bleak and badly in need of care and consideration. The responsible body is nowhere but Food and Agriculture Organization, whose Directorship is now within your hands.
I have no doubt that under your wise and competent leadership this vessel shall be oriented to a most secure and safe shore so that all the nations feeling themselves stranded can benefit a respectable and decent life.
Excellency Diouf once more please accept my sincere best wishes for your being deservedly elected as the Director-General of FAO and I would like tc draw your kind attention that the Islamic Republic of Iran shall do its utmost endeavour to flourish this outstanding body of the United Nations ever after. I wish you all the success and prosperity in this career.1
Kiala KIA MATEVA (Angola) : Je voudrais joindre ma voix à celles qui vous ont félicité à l'occasion de votre élection à la tête de la 27ème session de la Conférence de la FAO.
Je suis convaincu que grâce à votre expérience et votre sagesse des résultats positifs, comme celui d'hier, seront atteints pour le bien de l'humanité en général et des pays en développement en particulier. Ces félicitations s'adressent également aux membres élus du Bureau.
Monsieur le Président, avant de passer au sujet qui est inscrit à l'ordre du jour, je voudrais d'abord m'acquitter d'une lourde tâche. Grâce à un homme, mon pays a reçu toute l'assistance technique nécessaire de la FAO malgré la situation que toute la Communauté internationale connaît. Mon pays remercie vivement celui qui a mis presque deux décennies de sa vie à la disposition de l'agriculture mondiale. Grâce à sa bravoure, son savoir faire, ses qualités intellectuelles, il a marqué la FAO. Il s'agit du
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1 Statement inserted in the Verbatim records on request.
Dr Edouard Saouma, notre Directeur général sortant. Des voix mieux autorisées et mieux imagées que la mienne pourront qualifier cet homme. Une fois de plus l'Angola dit merci au Dr. Saouma. Ma délégation vous souhaite plein succès dans vos projets futurs.
Au nouveau Directeur général, Dr Jacques Diouf, digne fils de l'Afrique, nous présentons également toutes nos félicitations et lui souhaitons plein succès dans ses nouvelles fonctions. L'Angola, mon pays, se met à votre disposition pour vous apporter tout l'appui nécessaire.1
Mohamed BEN RAJEB (Tunisie): Je voudrais, au nom de la République tunisienne, féliciter Monsieur Jacques Diouf pour son élection comme Directeur général de l'Organisation. Nous lui souhaitons tout succès dans l'exercice de ses fonctions à la tête de la FAO.
Nous sommes confiants que Monsieur Jacques Diouf, ce fils du continent africain confronté à des problèmes graves en matière d'agriculture et d'alimentation, sera doté d'une sensibilité toute particulière pour appréhender les préoccupations de la communauté des nations en ce qui concerne le développement de l'agriculture au niveau mondial.
En conséquence, Monsieur Diouf saura, sans doute, veiller à la réalisation des nobles objectifs de notre Organisation, à savoir combattre la faim et la malnutrition dans le monde.2
R.A. AKHUND (Pakistan) : On behalf of my delegation and the people and the Government of Pakistan, I wish to convey our very warm felicitations to Mr Diouf on his election as the new Director-General of FAO.
Pakistan, which is essentially an agricultural country, has had a long and meaningful relationship with FAO. We are grateful for the close collaboration and assistance from this world body in the efforts of my Government to improve the productivity and production of crops. We look forward to FAO's continued role in our agriculture and economy under the wise and enlightened leadership of Mr Diouf. On our part, we will continue to provide all possible assistance to FAO in its endeavours to improve the conditions in this sector throughout the world, more specifically in the developing countries.
In extending our greetings to the newly elected Director-General, we wish to reiterate our unqualified support for FAO and would like to assure Mr Diouf of our whole-hearted support and cooperation.2
CHAIRMAN: The third meeting of the Conference now comes to an end. We rise and we will re-assemble for the fourth session tomorrow morning at 9.30.
The meeting rose at 20.00 hours.
La séance est levée à 20 h 00.
Se levanta la sesión a las 20.00 horas.
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1 Texte reçu avec demande d'insertion du procès-verbal.
2 Statement inserted in the verbatim records on request.
