Bangladesh has been elected member of FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) Council from the Asia Region for the term 2022-2024.

The result came from the 42nd Session of the UN Agency participated by 183 member states, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday. 

Read:FAO lauds Hasina's leadership in attaining food security in Bangladesh

This comes at a time when Bangladesh is going to host the 36th Asia and the Pacific FAO Regional Conference (APRC) from March 8-11, 2022 in Dhaka which is expected to be attended by ministerial-level delegates from 46 member countries of the region.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has agreed to inaugurate the conference to be hosted by Bangladesh for the first time.

Read: Bangladesh to host FAO Asia Pacific Regional Conference in 2022

Bangladesh, with other Council members, will now lead the organization at both policy and executive levels in deciding and advising on matters pertaining to the implementation of programmes and budget execution, monitoring of activities under the new results-based framework, monitoring of implementation of governance decisions and oversight of the administration of the organization for three years.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Rome actively worked to obtain support in favour of Bangladesh.

Read:Undernourished people likely to be increased up to 132 mn this year: FAO

The ongoing 42nd Session of the FAO Conference, held on a virtual platform from the Headquarters of FAO in Rome, is being attended by an eight-member Bangladesh delegation led by Agricultural Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, which also includes Agricultural Senior Secretary Md Mesbahul Islam and Bangladesh Ambassador and Permanent Representative to FAO Md Shameem Ahsan.         

FAO is the specialised agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.