FAO, re-elected (without rivals) Director-General Qu Dongyu to lead the UN body that should eradicate hunger in the world by 2030

ROME – China’s QU Dongyu was re-elected today for a second term as FAO Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. In the vote of FAO member countries, Qu received a total of 168 of the 182 votes deposited. Nominated by China, Qu was the only candidate for FAO’s top position in today’s election. In fact, all of his rivals took a step back: in March the Iraqi diplomacy announced that it had withdrawn the candidacy of Hamid Khalaf Ahmed and the following month the Tajik diplomat did the same for Dilshod Sharifi. Qu Dongyu’s new term will run from August 1, 2023 to July 31, 2027.

Revised some organizational models. Since being elected FAO Director-General for the first time in 2019, Qu has supported a series of reforms and initiatives to overhaul the Organization’s business model, improving – according to the opinion of many observers – efficiency and implementing best practices for implementing programmes.

The promotion of science. “FAO has focused on promoting science and innovation and has launched some important strategic initiatives. The Hand-in-Hand initiative, for example, supports Implementing ambitious nationally-led programs to accelerate transformations in agri-food systems Utilize advanced geospatial modeling and analysis, as well as building partnerships to raise incomes, improve the nutritional status and well-being of poor people, and strengthen resilience to change climatic”.

More investments for humanitarian emergencies. In its humanitarian and emergency response, “FAO – continues the statement – supported increased investments in medium- and long-term resilience building, in protecting livelihoods and in supporting disaster risk reduction, together with humanitarian actions, especially in fragile contexts. In this sense, the Organization has intensified its prevention and anticipation work with the aim of addressing the root causes of food crises”.

The World Food Forum. “Another salient point of Qu’s leadership – continues the FAO document – was the creation of the World Food Forum (WFF) in 2021. Over the past two years, the WFF has identified powerful ideas, scientific and evidence-based knowledge, innovations, policies and solutions, creating new partnerships and investment opportunities to transform our agri-food systems”.

Some shadows on Qu Dongyu’s direction. There is in fact an investigation by German radio and television stations “Ard” And “Rbb” reported by the site of ants.net – which would reveal that Qu would have exploited his position at FAO to facilitate the interests of Beijing. There is talk of pesticides banned in Europe from Chinese companies and investment plans defined by “questionable” broadcasters. Everything would have been reported to the authors of the investigation by FAO internal officials. More specifically, “the UN organization would have changed radically” since the beginning of Qu’s mandate in August 2019, a change marked above all by closer ties with his country of origin.

Decisive years before 2030. When his second mandate expires in 2027, Qu will have headed FAO for eight consecutive years. Decisive years, if we consider that the United Nations has the goal of eradicating hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. A goal that is moving away day by day, in the face of the hundreds of millions of people who still cannot access their daily food on a regular basis. The global number, according to recent surveys, has risen to about 850 million children, women and men, reduced to hunger: 150 million more than at the beginning of the pandemic.

The many dossiers still open. Before the newly re-elected FAO director, all the most dramatic issues of our times appear one by one: starting with the war in Ukraine, up to the future of Africa, the continent that will increasingly condition the policies of European countries.