Qu Dongyu becomes first Chinese national to head UN food and agriculture agency
- Many analysts had seen Qu as the front runner to win the four-year post, which he will take up on August 1
- Beijing has made a big push to get more senior jobs at the UN in the last few years
Qu Dongyu on Sunday became the first Chinese national to be elected to head the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, clinching the post in the first round of voting.
Qu, 55, a biologist by training, won 108 votes, followed by Catherine Geslain-Laneelle of France with 71 votes and Georgia’s Davit Kirvalidze with 12, according to official results.
“I’m very grateful to all member countries for your active participation,” the new FAO chief said after the results were announced. “Thanks also to other candidates who helped make me better.
“I will be committed to FAO’s original aspirations, mandates and the missions of the organisation.”
His election to the helm of the Rome-based agency, which brings together 194 member countries, comes as the fight to eradicate world hunger takes a blow from global warming and wars.