Qu Dongyu, China's vice¹ minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs was elected as new Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome on Sunday.

 

中国农业农村部副部长屈冬玉周日在罗马当选联合国粮食农业组织新任总干事。
 

 

Qu, 56, was chosen during the ongoing² 41st FAO Conference, the highest governing body of the Rome-based agency.

 

The Chinese candidate received a large majority of 108 votes, winning over French Catherine Geslain-Laneelle, who received 71 votes, and Georgian Davit Kirvalidze, who got 12 votes.

 

"As FAO new DG, I will be committed to the original inspiration, mandate³, and mission of the organization," Qu told the conference in a short address immediately after being elected.

 

"(I will) Take my responsibility at the supervision⁴ of conferences ... in a rule-based approach, and I will uphold the principles of openness, justice, and transparency, remaining impartial⁵ and neutral."

 

He also pledged to remain committed at the best of his efforts to working "for the people and the farmers" during his four-year mandate.

 

From the delegates of all FAO's 194 member states involved in the voting, a total of 191 votes were cast on Sunday, and one abstention was registered.

 

Qu will officially start in the new post on Aug. 1, and he will be the first Chinese national to serve as FAO Director-General in the history of the agency.

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