Session Documents
The Programme Committee
The Programme Committee was established as a "Co-ordinating Committee" at the 3rd Session of the FAO Conference in 1947. Its name was changed to the "Programme Committee" in 1957. The size and structure of the Programme Committee was last modified by the Conference at its 36th Session in 2009.
The Programme Committee assists the Council in carrying out its duties regarding the development and implementation of the Organization's activities. Its functions are set out in Rule XXVI.7 of the General Rules of the Organization. It holds concurrent sessions with the Finance Committee, twice per year, and holds Joint Meetings with the Finance Committee to discuss matters which require review by both Committees.
- Council of the Organization (Vol.1, Art. V.6)
- Programme Committee (Vol.1, Sec.B: GRO, Rule XXVI))
- Rules of Procedure (Vol.1, Sec.E.)
Ms Yael Rubinstein (Israel)
July 2023 - June 2025
Secretary
Ms Jiani Tian
Senior Coordinator
Office of the Director-General
Membership
The Programme Committee is comprised of a Chairperson and 12 Member Nations of the Organization, elected by the Council at its session immediately following the regular session of the Conference. The Council elects the Members of the Committee as follows: i) two Member Nations from each of the following regions: Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Near East; ii) one Member Nation from each of the following regions: North America and Southwest Pacific.
Members are elected for a period of two years and they are eligible for reappointment.
Current term of office: July 2023 – June 2025
- Argentina (Mr Carlos Bernardo Cherniak)2
- Brazil (Ms Carla Barroso Carneiro)*
- Canada (Mr Maarten de Groot)
- Japan (Mr Kuraya Yoshihiro)1
- Malaysia (Mr Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Wahab)3
- Netherlands (Kingdom of the) (Mr Marcel Beukeboom)
- New Zealand (Ms Jenny Reid)
- South Africa (Ms Nosipho Nausca Jean Jezile)*
- Sudan (Ms Sadia Elmubarak Ahmed Daak)
- Switzerland (Ms Krisztina Bende)*
- United Republic of Tanzania (Ms Jacqueline Boniface Mbuya)
Membership Information
*Please see the list of Substitute Representatives for the current sessions.
1 Mr Shindo Mitsuaki was designated to replace Mr Kuraya Yoshihiro as the representative of Japan for the remainder of the term of office.
2 Ms Alicia SIlvana Barone was designated to replace Mr Carlos Bernardo Cherniak as the representative of Argentina for the remainder of the term of office.
3 Mr Anwar Faiz Othman was designated to replace Mr Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Wahab as the representative of Malaysia for the remainder of the term of office.
139th Session of the Programme Committee / 11–15 November 2024
- Brazil (Mr Paulo José Chiarelli V. de Azevedo)
- South Africa (Mr Barend Jacobus Lombard)
- Switzerland (Ms Isabelle Fragnière)
138th Session of the Programme Committee / 20–24 May 2024
- Argentina (Ms Alicia Silvana Barone)
- Brazil (Mr Arnaldo de Baena Fernandes)
- South Africa (Mr Barend Jacobus Lombard)
137th Session of the Programme Committee / 6–10 November 2023
- Brazil (Mr Arnaldo de Baena Fernandes)