Edouard Saouma

Edouard Victor Saouma (born November 6 1926 in Beirut) served as Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for three consecutive terms from 1976 to 1993.

Early career

After completing his studies at the Ecole Nationale d'Agriculture de Montpellier (1949-1952), he 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.

Legacy

Saouma's tenure at FAO has been marked by his fierce dedication to (and support from) third world countries, his independence from major donor countries, US, Canada, Australia, (The Reagan administration through the Heritage Foundation desperately tried to discredit him, to no avail, when he was re-elected for a third term), and his numerous initiatives.Fact|date=May 2008

In recognition of his decisive role, the FAO Conference established in November 1993 the [http://www.fao.org/tc/tcp/saouma_en.asp Edouard Saouma Award] .

Personal

Married to Ines Forero (Colombia), and father of Galia Saouma-Isar (Paris), Victor Saouma (Boulder, CO), and Samia Saouma-Hetzler (Berlin).

Major Achievements

1976: Establishment of FAO Technical Cooperation Programme.

1977: Creation by the FAO Conference of a new Programme called Prevention of post harvest food losses with an initial capital of US $ 20 million.

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. Establishment of the [http://www.worldfooddayusa.org/?id=12257 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

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.

1983: Adoption by the Conference of the International Undertaking on the Plant Genetic Resources, for the prospecting, conservation documentation, access and integrated use of the genetic resources. Creation of the International Commission on the Plant Genetic Resources.

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 responsibilities 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.

Honors

* Grande Croix de l'ordre National du Cedre (Lebanon)
* Prix Said Akl Prize (Lebanon)
* Chevalier Merite Agricole (France)
* Commandeur de la Légion 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)
* Order del Merito Agricola (Colombia)
* Gran Cruz de la Orden Nacional al Mento (Colombia)
* Gran Oficial 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

* University 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)
* University of 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