While welcoming the delegates, Dr. Raj Paroda highlighted some important changes that had occurred
since the last meeting in Washington in October 2001:
- Jean-François Giovannetti was assuming the position of Officer in Charge after the departure of
Fernando Chaparro in February this year. To renew this position, Christian Bonte-Friedham has
taken the position of Chair of the Search Committee for the new GFAR Executive Secretary. An
Interim Executive Council was established to guide the Officer in Charge, with the support of
Rodney Cooke (IFAD), Dietrich Liehner (FAO/SDR) and Henri Rouille D¿Orfeuil (GFAR, Vice
Chair);
- Dr. Bruce Oliver attending at the Meeting, was welcomed as the NARS Senior Visiting Fellow to
the GFAR Secretariat;
- There were very strong Regional Fora participation and contribution to the Post-Harvest exercises
undertaken during the last months;
- The last CGIAR ExCo Meeting in London gave the opportunity to present the Concept Paper on
Civil Society Participation;
- Special welcomes were made for those who filled new positions: the FARA Chair, Mr. Joseph
Mukiibi, FARA Vice Chair, Mr. Adama Traore, Executive Secretary of CORAF, Mr. Mdiaga
Mbaye, and the Chair of APAARI, Mr. Raghu Sapkota;
- Welcome to all the other stakeholders present for the meeting.
The agenda was adopted with the addition of an item relating to the consideration of the long term
funding of GFAR activities. The minutes of the 10th NARS Sub-Committee meeting were approved
with no change.