Brazil's support for the re-election of the FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu

The Brazilian Government expresses its support for the candidacy of Dr. Qu Dongyu for re-election as Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in the elections scheduled to take place during the 43rd Session of the FAO Conference, to be held in Rome, next July 1-7.

Born in the Chinese province of Hunan, Qu Dongyu studied horticultural science at Hunan Agricultural University and plant breeding and genetics at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. He has held the positions of Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (2001-2011), Vice Governor of Ningxia Hui autonomous region (2011-2015), and Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China (2015-2018).

Qu Dongyu was elected to the position of Director-General of FAO in 2019, with the support of Brazil. Since assuming the leadership of FAO, Dr. Qu has worked for structural reforms in the Organization and for greater support to member states in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The endorsement of this candidacy reflects recognition of the credentials and successful management of Director-General Qu Dongyu at the head of FAO. The Organization is of fundamental interest to Brazil, a relevant player in FAO's areas of competence, in light of the importance of its agricultural sector for food production and export, as well as its public policies for fighting hunger, school meals, agrarian development and family agriculture, among others, in which the country is internationally recognized.

In a recent meeting between the President of the Republic and DG Qu Dongyu, held in Buenos Aires on January 24th, on the margins of the 7th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), President Lula reiterated that guaranteeing food security for all Brazilians and taking Brazil off the Map of Hunger are central objectives of his government. The two parties also discussed strengthening the Brazil-FAO partnership to fight hunger, promote food and nutritional security, and support sustainable rural and agricultural development in Brazil and around the world, including by strengthening South-South and trilateral cooperation.