Session Documents
The Council
The FAO Council was established in 1947 at the 3rd Session of the FAO Conference, replacing the original "Executive Committee".
The Council acts as the executive arm of the Conference between its sessions, exercising functions relating to the status of world food and agriculture, prospective activities of the Organization, administrative and constitutional matters. The Council plays a major role in deciding and advising on matters pertaining to the implementation of programme and budget execution, monitoring of the implementation of governance decisions and oversight of the administration of the Organization.
The Council holds five regular sessions in each biennium. It is directly assisted by a Programme Committee, a Financial Committee, and a Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters.
- Council of the Organization (Vol.1, Art. V)
- The Council (Vol.1, Sec.B: GRO, B.)
- Rules of Procedure (Vol.1, Sec.D.)
Mr Hans Hoogeveen (The Netherlands)
2021 - 2025
Appointment of the ICC (Vol.1, Art. V.2)
Appointment of the ICC (Vol.1, Sec.B, GRO XXIII)
Membership
Elected by the Conference, the Council consists of 49 Member Nations
elected for a term of three years with arrangements for staggering
expiry of terms of office. In selecting Members, the Conference
considers the desirability of a balanced geographical representation and
the rotation of membership. Each Member Nation has one representative
and one vote.
The Conference is also tasked to appoint an
Independent Chairperson of the Council (ICC) at each of its Sessions.
The ICC not only serves as Chairperson of all Council meetings but also
plays an inter-sessional role in convening informal consultations, taking
steps to achieve consensus among the Membership and liaising with
Management and other Chairpersons of Governing Bodies. The ICC is
elected for a period of two years, renewable once (Article V.2 of the
Constitution and Rule XXIII of the General Rules of the Organization).
(as from 1 July 2024)
- Afghanistan2
- Angola1
- Argentina1
- Australia2
- Bahamas1
- Bangladesh3
- Brazil1
- Burundi3
- Cameroon2
- Canada1
- Chile3
- China3
- Congo3
- Costa Rica1
- Côte d’Ivoire1
- Croatia3
- Ecuador3,4
- Egypt2
- France1,6
- Georgia2,5
- Guatemala3
- Guinea1
- Iceland3
- India2
- Indonesia3
- Italy2
- Japan3
- Kenya1
- Kuwait3
- Lesotho2
- Lithuania1,7
- Mauritania1
- Mexico1
- Morocco2
- Netherlands (Kingdom of the)3
- Norway2
- Pakistan2
- Panama2
- Philippines3
- Qatar1
- Republic of Korea3
- Saudi Arabia2
- Spain2,9
- Sudan1,10
- Thailand2,11
- Uganda2
- Ukraine1,8
- United Republic of Tanzania3
- United States of America1
Membership Information
1 Term of office: 1 July 2022 to end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
2 Term of office: end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) to 30 June 2026
3 Term of Office: 1 July 2024 to the end of the 45th Session of the Conference (2027)
4 Peru will replace Ecuador from 1 January 2026 until the end of the 45th Session of the Conference (2027)
5 Switzerland will replace Georgia from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025) to 30 June 2026
6 France replaced Germany from 1 July 2024 until the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
7 Lithuania replaced Israel from the end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
8 Ukraine replaced Slovenia from 1 July 2024 to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
9 The United Kingdom will replace Spain from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025) to 30 June 2026
10 Sudan replaced Iraq for the remainder of its term (from the end of 43rd Session of the Conference to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference) as Iraq was deemed to have resigned in accordance with Rule XXII.7 GRO.
11 Malaysia will replace Thailand from 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2026
Current term of office: July 2022 - June 2027
| Africa | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44) | 1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 2026 | 1 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45) |
Angola Côte d'Ivoire Guinea Kenya Mauritania | Cameroon Morocco Lesotho Uganda | Burundi Congo United Republic of Tanzania |
| Asia | ||
| 1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44) | 1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 2026 | 1 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45) |
India Pakistan Thailand5 | Bangladesh China Indonesia Japan Philippines Republic of Korea | |
| Europe | ||
| 1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44) | 1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 2026 | 1 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45) |
France1 Lithuania2 Ukraine3 | Georgia6 Italy Norway Spain7 | Croatia Iceland Netherlands (Kingdom of the) |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | ||
| 1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44) | 1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 2026 | 1 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45) |
Argentina Bahamas Brazil Costa Rica Mexico | Panama
| Chile Ecuador8 Guatemala |
| Near East | ||
| 1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44) | 1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 2026 | 1 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45) |
Sudan4 Qatar | Afghanistan Egypt Saudi Arabia | Kuwait |
| North America | ||
| 1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44) | 1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 2026 | 1 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45) |
Canada United States of America | ||
| Southwest Pacific | ||
| 1 July 2022 - June 2025 (C 44) | 1 July 2023 (C 43) - June 2026 | 1 July 2024 - June 2027 (C 45) |
| Australia | ||
Membership Information
1 France replaced Germany from 1 July 2024 until the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
2 Lithuania replaced Israel from the end of the 43rd Session of the Conference (2023) to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
3 Ukraine replaced Slovenia from 1 July 2024 to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025)
4 Sudan replaced Iraq for the remainder of its term (from the end of 43rd Session of the Conference to the end of the 44th Session of the Conference) as Iraq was deemed to have resigned in accordance with Rule XXII.7 GRO.
5 Malaysia will replace Thailand from 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2026
6 Switzerland will replace Georgia from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference to 30 June 2026
7 The United Kingdom will replace Spain from the end of the 44th Session of the Conference (2025) to 30 June 2026
8 Peru will replace Ecuador from 1 January 2026 until the end of the 45th Session of the Conference (2027)
Upcoming Session: 176th Session of the FAO Council
2–6 December 2024