Biennial FAO Conference to be held 1-7 July 2023

The 43rd session of the FAO Conference will take place at the Organization’s headquarters in Rome from Saturday, 1 July, to Friday, 7 July 2023.

The Conference, which takes place every two years, is FAO’s supreme governing body.

The 43rd session will see the election of the FAO Director-General for the period 2023-2027. FAO Directors-General may serve only two consecutive four-year terms. The current Director-General, Dr. QU Dongyu of China, was first elected in June 2019.

Throughout the week, the two Commissions of the Conference will meet to review the work of the Organization, the reports of the FAO Technical Committees and Regional Conferences, and the Programme of Work and Budget 2024-2025. The Conference also elects Council Members to serve three-year rotating terms to carry out executive oversight of programme and budgetary activities.

There will be five side events, as well as a plenary debate on water resources management for the four betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, which will take place from Monday through Wednesday.

Additionally, there will be three round table discussions on the theme of water, also from Monday through Wednesday. Round table one will be centred on water scarcity: making water flow for people and planet; round table two on integrated flood risk management: and round table three will focus on water infrastructure.

The 43rd Session of the Conference will be live streamed on FAO’s webpage via webcast here. Interpretation will be available in Arabic, Chinese, French, English, Russian and Spanish.

Journalists wishing to attend the event in person should send their accreditation request to [email protected], including a valid press card or letter of assignment on company stationery and a copy of a valid photo ID (passport/identity card).