Edouard V.Saouma

Personal

P.O. Box: 40210 Baabda Lebanon
Tel 961-1-423.900-Fax 961-1-423.901

Born on 6 November 1926 in Beirut
Married to Ines Forero, 3 children, Galia (Paris), Victor (Boulder, CO), Samia (Berlin)
Educ.: National School of Agronomy, Montpellier, France (1949-52). Degree: "Ingenieur Agronome"

Professional Career

Elected Director-Genera of the Food and Agriculture organization, FAO (1976 to 1993), three terms

Director, Land and Water Development Division, FAO (1965- 75)

FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Asia and the Far East (1926-65)

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forrestry of Lebanon (1970)

Founder and Director-General of the Agriculture Research Institute of Lebanon (1957-62

Director of the Agriculture Experimental Center of the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon (1952-57)

Awards

  1. Grande Croix de l'ordre National du Cedre (Lebanon)
  2. Commandeur Legion d'Honneur (France)
  3. Prix Said Akl Prize (Lebanon)
  4. Chevalier Merite Agricole (France)
  5. Cavaliere di Gran Croce (Italy)
  6. Grand Officier de I' Ordre National (Chad)
  7. Grand Officier de l'ordre du Volta (Ghana)
  8. Grand-Croix de I'Ordre National de la Haute Volta (Burkina Fasco)
  9. Grande Croix Merite Agricole (Spain)
  10. Knight Commander of the Order of Merit (Greece)
  11. Order del Merito Agricola (Colombia)
  12. Gran Cruz de la Orden Nacional al Mento (Colombia)
  13. Gran Oficial de Orden de Vasco Nuiiez de Balboa (Panama)
  14. Orden al Merito Agricola (Peru)
  15. Order of Merit (Egypt)
  16. Ordre du Merite (Mauritania)
  17. Grand Officier de I'Ordre de la Republique (Tunisia)
  18. Grand Officier de I'Ordre National (Madagascar)
  19. Gran Orden de Rio Branco (Brazil)
  20. Banda Aquila Azteca (Mexico)
  21. Grande Croix Andres Bello (Venezuela)

Honorary Degrees

  1. Honorary Professor of Agronomy: Agricultural University of Beijing (People's Republic of China),
  2. Accademico Corrispondente dell' Accademia Nazionale di Agricultura, Bologna (Italy),
  3. Medaille Excellence Agropolis (France)

Doctor Honoris Causa

  1. University of Gembloux (Belgium)
  2. University of Agriculture Sciences of Godolla (Hungary)
  3. University of Keszphely (Hungary)
  4. Punjab Agricultural University (India)
  5. University of Jakarta (Indonesia)
  6. University of Bologna (Italy)
  7. University of Florence (Italy)
  8. University of Seoul (Republic of Korea)
  9. Universidad - Nacional Autonoma (Nicaragua)
  10. Faisalabad Agricultural University (Pakistan)
  11. University of La Molina (Peru)
  12. University of Los Baiios (Philippines)
  13. University of Warsaw (Poland)
  14. University of Uruguay
  15. Agricultural University of Prague (Czechoslovakia)
  16. Institut Tropical et sous Tropical (Czechoslovakia)
  17. Catholic University of America, Washington D.C. (USA)
  18. University of Montpellier (France)
  19. Instituto Superior Cienciads Agropecuarias de la Habana (Cuba)
  20. University of Mongolia

Major Achievements

1976

Establishment of the FAO Technical Cooperation Programme, which since its creation has funded 7134 projects for a total value of US $ 818 million, providing emergency and short term technical assistance to developing countries.

In recognition of the decisive role of the Director General, in the conception, creation and implementation of this Programme, the FAO Conference established in November 1993 the Edouard Saouma Award.

This Award is a cash prize of US $ 25.000 which is presented biannually to a national Institution which has implemented with particular efficiency, a project funded by the Programme.

Decentralization of FAO by the progressive creation of 78 FAO country offices in developing countries covering more than 100 of its member states.

1977

Adoption by the FAO Conference of the Arabic and Chinese as official languages of the organization (in addition to English, French and Spanish).

Creation by the FAO Conference of a new Programme called Prevention of post harvest food losses with an initial capital of US $ 20 million.

The programme funds and helps to implement field projects meant to prevent and or decrease the food losses after harvest in the developing countries.

1978

Completion of the FAO Fourth World Food Survey which estimated about 455 million people undernourished in developing countries.

1979

The first World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development was organized by FAO and held at its H.Q. in Rome. The Conference agreed upon a Declaration of Principles and a Programme of Action to conquer Rural Poverty.

A Task Force under the Chairman ship of FAO with the participation of UN, IBRD, ILO, UNDP and others was created to assist governments in implementing the Program.

Establishment of the World Food Day. It will be observed by all member countries on 16 October, to coincide with the anniversary of FAO's foundation on 16 October 1945.

Establishment of an FAO's Commission on Animal African Tryponosomiasis and launching of a Programme to assist the countries to combat the disease.

Publication of a FAO study entitled Agriculture Towards 2000. The purpose being to analyze the perspective of agriculture until the end of the Century.

Launching of a Programme of assistance for the development and management of fisheries in the Exclusives Economic Zones.

Approval by the FAO Conference and the UN General Assembly of the Plan of Action on World Food Security. The Plan invites the Governments to undertake voluntary, but immediate national food grains storage measures; to apply certain stock management and release criteria, to help low income food deficit countries to meet their import needs, to reinforce the organization operational food security programmes and to encourage the developing countries collective autonomy in this vital area.

1981

First World Food Day observed by 50 member countries.

Adoption of the FAO World Soil Charter which indicates the necessary action to protect, restore soil and prevent desertification

1982

Completion of the World Study on The Potential Capacity of Demographic Charge on the soils of the Developing countries.

1984

First World Conference on improvement and management of the fisheries held at FAO H.Q.

1985

The FAO General Conference adopted the strategy for the development and management of fisheries and the five Action Programmes as proposed by the Fisheries Conference.

Adoption by the FAO Conference of an International Code of Conduct for the distribution and use of the pesticides which stressed the responsibilities and obligations of citizen, developed, developing countries, governments and others vis a vis the problem of food security. It also gave a new meaning for food security.

Adoption by the FAO Conference of the World Compact on Food Security which gave a new definition of world food security and stated the responsabilities and obligations of Governments, Organizations and Individuals in resolving this acute problem

Launching by the Conference of the Tropical Forestry Plan, with the cooperation of IBRD, UNDP, and the World Resources Institute and the participation of 90 countries.

Adoption by the Conference of the Programme for the World Census of Agriculture to take place in 1990.

Celebration of the first International Year on Forestry adopted by the Conference.

1992

First World Nutrition Conference held at FAO HQ and organized jointly with World Health Organization.

Full implementation of WAICENT (FAO's World Agriculture Information Center) conceived and developed by Dr. Milan Trukulja former Director of FAO Statistic Division. Waicent contains the World's most comprehensive data on agriculture, fisheries, forestry, nutrition and rural development. Adoption of the FAO International Declaration on Responsible Fishing which lay down the basis of the first international code of conduct in the field of fisheries.

1993

Adoption by the Conference of the FAO International Code of conduct for Plant germoplasm collecting and transfer.

Agreement by the Conference for the Establishment of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, for the management of stocks of tuna and tuna like species in the Indian Ocean.

Completion of a new building of 6,000 sqm of office space financed and built by the Italian Government. It allows for the first time in 32 years the grouping together of all headquarters staff.

Completion of the Computer Network with 3000 terminals and Installation of Integrated voice and Data Network using some 12 km of optic fiber cable

Visits with Foreign Dignitaries


Felix Houphouet-Boigny, President of the Ivory Coast
Vigdis Finnbogadotter, President of Republic of Iceland (left) and Francisco Cossiga, President of Republic of Italy

Leopold Senghor, President of Senegal
King Harald V of Norway

Bruno Kreisky, Chancellor of Austria
King Baudouin I and Queen Fabiola of Belgium

President Fidel Castro
Deng Hsio-Ping, People's Republic of China

Prime Minister Indira Ghandi
King Hassan II

His Holiness Jean Paul II

President Francois Mitterand
Mother Theresa

Sultan Qaboos of Oman
President Ronald Reagan