José Graziano da Silva, the current director-general of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO), will be the only candidate in upcoming elections for the agency's top leadership post.
At the close of the January 31 deadline, the only nomination received from member countries of FAO was from Brazil, which nominated Graziano da Silva for re-election.
Election for the post of director-general for a four-year term of office starting on August 2015 will take place during the 39th FAO Conference, scheduled for June 6-13.
Members will cast their vote on a one-country-one vote basis in a secret ballot which requires a simple majority for a valid outcome.
Graziano da Silva was first elected in June 2011. Directors-general may serve only two consecutive terms.
Graziano da Silva has worked on issues of food security, rural development and agriculture for more than 30 years.
Since assuming his mandate as FAO director-general in 2012, he has spearheaded major transformational changes within the organization. These reforms have entailed refocusing FAO’s work, reinforcing its institutional capacities, strengthening partnerships with civil society, private sector and academia and boosting FAO's support for South-South cooperation. Prior to serving as the director-general, he was the FAO assistant director-general.
