Morocco elected chairman of FAO council

Morocco's permanent delegate to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, Aziz Mekouar, was elected on Friday evening chairman of the FAO council.

The diplomat was elected to chair the FAO council by 73 votes against 71 for the Dutch candidate.

The FAO is holding this Nov.2-13 its 31st plenary session in Rome.

The FAO council is in charge of keeping update information and data on the food and agriculture situation worldwide and study member states and associate members programs. It also controls the financial administration of the Rome-based UN body.

The council is also entitled to set up commission, committees and work groups and convene general regional and technical conferences.

The council chairman is elected for a two-year mandate, renewable one. The council comprises 49 elected member states.

Mekouar is Morocco's ambassador in Italy, Malta and Albania and permanent representative at the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD). Since 1999, he has been serving as chairman of the FAO financial committee.