Edouard Victor Saouma (6 November 1926 – 1 December 2012) was a Lebanese civil servant who served as Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for three consecutive terms from 1976 to 1993.[1]
After completing his studies at the École Nationale d'Agriculture de Montpellier (1949–1952), Saouma served as Director of the Agriculture Experimental Center of the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon (1952–62), Deputy Regional Representative of FAO for Asia and the Far East (1962–65), Director of the Land and Water Development Division of FAO (1965–75), and then Director General of the FAO.
Camberley Groupedit
The nations that wanted to replace Saouma in the 1987 elections concerted their strategy in secret meetings of what is known as the Camberley Group,[2] after the town in England where the first meeting was held. The original members of the group were Australia, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, West Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. The U.S. was at first excluded because of the strong support given to Saouma by its ambassador Millicent Fenwick (a former member of Congress). This effort proved futile, as Saouma was re-elected.[3]
Legacyedit
Saouma's tenure at FAO was marked by dedication to (and support from) third world countries,[4] his independence from major donor countries, US, Canada, Australia, and his numerous initiatives.[citation needed]. Yet many food experts believe that Saouma was more successful than he might have been otherwise in identifying the F.A.O. with the fight against global hunger.[5]
Saouma's controversial leadership was assessed by an unclassified State Department message[6] to American diplomatic posts which stated of Saouma: He has done an excellent job managing the organization and keeping internal program discipline. He has increased F.A.O.'s capacity to deliver technical assistance and strengthened its early warning system. Under his leadership, F.A.O. has steadily decreased the proportion of its budget which is devoted to administrative expenditures.
However, under Saouma's leadership FAO lost a substantial share of support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and from several industrial nations. This was caused by Saouma's withdrawing FAO Country Representatives from UNDP offices the world over and establishing separate FAO offices; UNDP reacted by executing its own agriculture projects, instead of financing their execution by FAO. Saouma also allowed FAO Fisheries Department to focus efforts and publicity on promoting and supporting the 200-mile "exclusive economic zones" of coastal nations. This led to exclusion or increasing the operational costs of major distant-waters fishing fleets that as a rule belonged to industrial nations and major FAO donors. The consequence was substantial reduction of donor-financed FAO fisheries projects. Finally, Saouma considerably increased the number of professional staff from developing countries at the expense of professionals from developed ones, which resulted in certain decline in FAO's general level of experience and expertise.
In recognition of his decisive role, the FAO Conference established in November 1993 the Edouard Saouma Award[7]
Honorsedit
Grande Croix de l'ordre National du Cedre (Lebanon)
University of Agriculture Sciences of Godolla (Hungary)
University of Keszphely (Hungary)
Punjab Agricultural University (India)
University of Jakarta (Indonesia)
University of Bologna (Italy)
University of Florence (Italy)
University of Seoul (Republic of Korea)
Universidad - Nacional Autonoma (Nicaragua)
Faisalabad Agricultural University (Pakistan)
Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (Peru)
University of Los Baiios (Philippines)
University of Warsaw (Poland)
University of Uruguay
Agricultural University of Prague (Czechoslovakia)
Institut Tropical et sous Tropical (Czechoslovakia)
Catholic University of America, Washington D.C. (USA)
University of Montpellier (France)
Instituto Superior Cienciads Agropecuarias de la Habana (Cuba)
University of Mongolia
Referencesedit
^Davies, Michael D.V. (15 January 2013). (PDF). IO BIO, Biographical Dictionary of Secretaries-General of International Organizations. Radboud University Nijmegen. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
^Lewis, Paul (15 June 1987). "Ouster is Sought at UN Farm Unit". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
^(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
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February 15, 2024
edouard, saouma, edouard, victor, saouma, november, 1926, december, 2012, lebanese, civil, servant, served, director, general, food, agriculture, organization, united, nations, three, consecutive, terms, from, 1976, 1993, director, general, food, agriculture, . Edouard Victor Saouma 6 November 1926 1 December 2012 was a Lebanese civil servant who served as Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO for three consecutive terms from 1976 to 1993 1 Edouard SaoumaDirector General of Food and Agriculture OrganizationIn office 1 January 1976 31 December 1993Preceded byAddeke Hendrik BoermaSucceeded byJacques DioufPersonal detailsBorn 1926 11 06 6 November 1926Beirut LebanonDied1 December 2012 2012 12 01 aged 85 Beirut LebanonPolitical partyDemocraticSpouseInes ForeroChildren3EducationEcole Nationale d Agriculture de Montpellier Contents 1 Early career 2 Camberley Group 3 Legacy 4 Honors 5 Honorary Doctorates 6 ReferencesEarly career editAfter completing his studies at the Ecole Nationale d Agriculture de Montpellier 1949 1952 Saouma served as Director of the Agriculture Experimental Center of the Bekaa Valley Lebanon 1952 62 Deputy Regional Representative of FAO for Asia and the Far East 1962 65 Director of the Land and Water Development Division of FAO 1965 75 and then Director General of the FAO Camberley Group editThe nations that wanted to replace Saouma in the 1987 elections concerted their strategy in secret meetings of what is known as the Camberley Group 2 after the town in England where the first meeting was held The original members of the group were Australia Britain Canada Denmark Finland West Germany Japan the Netherlands Norway Sweden and Switzerland The U S was at first excluded because of the strong support given to Saouma by its ambassador Millicent Fenwick a former member of Congress This effort proved futile as Saouma was re elected 3 Legacy editSaouma s tenure at FAO was marked by dedication to and support from third world countries 4 his independence from major donor countries US Canada Australia and his numerous initiatives citation needed Yet many food experts believe that Saouma was more successful than he might have been otherwise in identifying the F A O with the fight against global hunger 5 Saouma s controversial leadership was assessed by an unclassified State Department message 6 to American diplomatic posts which stated of Saouma He has done an excellent job managing the organization and keeping internal program discipline He has increased F A O s capacity to deliver technical assistance and strengthened its early warning system Under his leadership F A O has steadily decreased the proportion of its budget which is devoted to administrative expenditures However under Saouma s leadership FAO lost a substantial share of support from the United Nations Development Programme UNDP and from several industrial nations This was caused by Saouma s withdrawing FAO Country Representatives from UNDP offices the world over and establishing separate FAO offices UNDP reacted by executing its own agriculture projects instead of financing their execution by FAO Saouma also allowed FAO Fisheries Department to focus efforts and publicity on promoting and supporting the 200 mile exclusive economic zones of coastal nations This led to exclusion or increasing the operational costs of major distant waters fishing fleets that as a rule belonged to industrial nations and major FAO donors The consequence was substantial reduction of donor financed FAO fisheries projects Finally Saouma considerably increased the number of professional staff from developing countries at the expense of professionals from developed ones which resulted in certain decline in FAO s general level of experience and expertise In recognition of his decisive role the FAO Conference established in November 1993 the Edouard Saouma Award 7 Honors editGrande Croix de l ordre National du Cedre Lebanon Prix Said Akl Lebanon Chevalier Merite Agricole France Commandeur de la Legion d Honneur France Cavaliere di Gran Croce Italy Grand Officier de l Ordre National Chad Grand Officier de l ordre du Volta Ghana Grand Croix de I Ordre National de la Haute Volta Burkina Faso Grande Croix Merite Agricole Spain Knight Commander of the Order of Merit Greece Orden del Merito Agricola Colombia Gran Cruz de la Orden Nacional al Mento Colombia Gran Official de Orden de Vasco Nuiiez de Balboa Panama Orden al Merito Agricola Peru Order of Merit Egypt Ordre du Merite Mauritania Grand Officier de I Ordre de la Republique Tunisia Grand Officier de I Ordre National Madagascar Gran Orden de Rio Branco Brazil Banda Aquila Azteca Mexico Grande Croix Andres Bello Venezuela Honorary Doctorates editUniversity of Gembloux Belgium University of Agriculture Sciences of Godolla Hungary University of Keszphely Hungary Punjab Agricultural University India University of Jakarta Indonesia University of Bologna Italy University of Florence Italy University of Seoul Republic of Korea Universidad Nacional Autonoma Nicaragua Faisalabad Agricultural University Pakistan Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina Peru University of Los Baiios Philippines University of Warsaw Poland University of Uruguay Agricultural University of Prague Czechoslovakia Institut Tropical et sous Tropical Czechoslovakia Catholic University of America Washington D C USA University of Montpellier France Instituto Superior Cienciads Agropecuarias de la Habana Cuba University of MongoliaReferences edit Davies Michael D V 15 January 2013 SAOUMA Edouard Victor PDF IO BIO Biographical Dictionary of Secretaries General of International Organizations Radboud University Nijmegen Archived from the original PDF on 2 November 2013 Retrieved 5 February 2013 Lewis Paul 15 June 1987 Ouster is Sought at UN Farm Unit The New York Times Retrieved 18 August 2019 DHF website PDF Archived from the original PDF on 10 June 2011 Retrieved 20 October 2009 EROJ website Donor Nations Challenge Food Agency s Activities The New York Times UN Agency Faces a Bitter Election The New York Times FAO website nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Edouard Saouma Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edouard Saouma amp oldid 1186933708, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
