China’s candidate elected Food and Agriculture Organisation head after India backs out

United Nations: China’s Qu Dongyu has been elected the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) - a race from which India withdrew its candidate earlier this month. Qu won the election held in Rome during the 41st session of the FAO Conference on Sunday by polling 108 votes. He defeated France’s Catherine Geslain-Laneelle, who got 71 votes, and Georgia’s Davit Kirvalidze, who received only 12. His election shows China’s growing influence that gains it leadership positions in world organisations. The International Civil Aviation Organisation’s Secretary-General is a Chinese citizen, Fang Liu. Another, Meng Hongweiwas was elected Interpol’s president, but quit under mysterious circumstances.

China with its renminbi diplomacy of investing in development projects around the world, especially in developing countries, was able to outmanoeuvre France and also the US, which backed Georgia’s candidate. India’s candidate, NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand, would have faced stiff competition from China, and almost a certain defeat, had he persisted in the race because of Beijing’s influence among developing countries fuelled by its largesse. New Delhi is not able to match China’s investments in development projects and its aid programmes because India’s economy is much smaller and not concentrated in government hands. China is now the third largest contributor to the FAO, with an assessed contribution of $21 million for this year. In contrast, India contributed only $2 million, less than even other developing countries like Turkey, Argentina and Mexico. On August 1, Qu will become the ninth FAO head when he succeeds Jose Graziano da Silva of Brazil, who was first elected in 2011 and served two terms. (IANS)

Also Read: 100% Organic Sikkim Shortlisted For Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Future Policy Award