Former Minister of Food, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Mehmet Mehdi Eker has been nominated by Ankara to be the next chair of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
He is the first candidate for the organization’s top seat from Türkiye and hopes to win to leave a mark on Türkiye’s efforts to boost its international recognition and efficiency.
Eker has been campaigning since the 181st session of the FAO Council began in Rome on June 8 and held talks with representatives of about 40 countries, explaining his goals if he wins the election in 2027.
He told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday that with his nomination for the director-general position of the FAO, one of the leading organizations of the United Nations, Türkiye has embarked on a new path in transferring its experiences both in foreign policy and in agriculture and food security.
Pointing out that his candidacy is a new journey for Türkiye, Eker said: "Türkiye has set out on a path. Under the leadership of our president, Türkiye has carried its visibility and effectiveness to a better point in the international arena and international organizations. Alongside Türkiye’s foreign policy moves made so far, this is also an important step." Stating that the FAO is very important and is a technical assistance and consultancy organization among U.N. agencies, Eker reiterated that 193 countries are members of the FAO.
