27 Jun 2011

FAO / DIRECTOR GENERAL

José Graziano da Silva was elected as FAO’s (Food and Agriculture Organization) new Director-General on Sunday, a former Brazilian food security minister, he is the first person from Latin America to head the FAO. FAO

Posted at: June 27, 2011 3:07 pm

Duration: 01:00

Available in: SD

DOWNLOAD

Full script

STORY: FAO / DIRECTOR GENERAL 
TRT: 1.00
SOURCE: FAO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE:

DATELINE: 26 JUNE 2011, ROME

SHOTLIST:

1. Wide shot, FAO plenary Hall
2. SOUND UP, Chairperson: 
"Votes cast 180, elected José Graziano da Silva 92".
3. Various shots, Brazilian Delegation celebrating
4. Med shot, José Graziano da Silva walks across to platform, 
5. Wide shot, plenary hall
6. Med shot, José Graziano da Silva  hugs DG Jacques Diouf
7. Wide shot, plenary hall

STORYLINE:

A former Brazilian food security minister will be the first person from Latin America to head the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations agency leading international efforts in the fight against hunger.

José Graziano da Silva, who has served as a senior regional official for FAO since 2006, will take up the post of Director-General on 1 January next year after beating five other candidates during voting today at the agency's headquarters in Rome.

Graziano da Silva, during an election yesterday (26 June) received 92 votes from 180 votes cast by FAO Member States during the second round of balloting, narrowly defeating Miguel Ángel Moratinos Cuyaube, a former foreign minister of Spain.

Four other candidates, Franz Fischler (Austria), Indroyono Soesilo (Indonesia), Mohammad Saeid Noori Naeini (Iran) and Abdul Latif Rashid (Iraq) – all withdrew from the contest after receiving fewer votes during the first round of balloting earlier today.

Graziano da Silva, 61, will be only the eighth person to lead an agency that was established in 1945 and he will be the first person from his region.

Graziano da Silva's term will expire on 31 July 2015, but he will be eligible to run for a second, four-year term. He succeeds Jacques Diouf, who has served as FAO Director-General since 1994.

Filed under 18.03.00 - ADMINISTRATION FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization.