United Nations: Specialized Agencies

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

(FAO)

Established: By constitution signed in Quebec, Canada, October 16, 1945. The FAO became a UN Specialized Agency by agreement with the Economic and Social Council (approved by the General Assembly on December 14, 1946).

Purpose: “To promote the common welfare by furthering separate and collective action … for the purpose of: raising levels of nutrition and standards of living … securing improvements in the efficiency of the production and distribution of all food and agricultural products; bettering the condition of rural populations; and thus contributing toward an expanding world economy.”

Headquarters: Rome, Italy.

Principal Organs: General Conference (all members), Council (49 members), Secretariat.

Web site: www.fao.org

Director General: Jacques Diouf (Senegal).

Membership (192, plus 1 Associate Member): See Appendix C.

Official Languages: ...

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