New appointment announcement

by Alvaro Lario

I am pleased to announce that after a very robust recruitment process, including an external panel review, I have appointed Ms Gérardine Mukeshimana, a national of Rwanda, as Vice-President. 

Until March of this year and for the previous eight years, Gérardine served as the Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resources of Rwanda. Under her leadership, the agricultural sector was transformed into one of the best performing on the continent and farmers experienced a dramatic improvement of their livelihoods. During her tenure, Gérardine engaged with rural youth, attracted private sector interest in agri-business in Rwanda, and pioneered the use of climate funds for the agricultural sector.

Gerardine possesses a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture and Horticulture from the University of Rwanda, a Master’s Degree and a doctorate in Plant breeding and Genetics- Crop and Soil Sciences from Michigan State University (USA). 

Gerardine will bring to IFAD her extensive knowledge and networks in the agricultural development domain, including with other multilateral development banks and climate funds, as well as her strong technical experience from her work and research at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the Michigan State University.

Gérardine will come on board on 28 August 2023. Please join me in welcoming her to her new position. I wish her the greatest success at IFAD.

To read this communication in the other official languages of the fund, please click on the following links: (Arabic) (French) (Spanish)

• https://www.ifad.org/ar/ar2022/
• https://www.ifad.org/en/ar2022/

• https://www.ifad.org/es/ar2022/
• https://www.ifad.org/fr/ar2022/

Appointment of Associate Vice-President, Financial Operations Department (AVP/FOD) ad interim

Further to Alvaro Lario taking office as President of IFAD, this is to inform the Membership that, as of 1 October 2022, the President has decided that Ms Katherine Meighan, Associate Vice-President, and General Counsel, takes up duties as Associate Vice-President, Financial Operations Department (AVP/FOD), a.i.

Ms Meighan will hold both positions until such time as the new AVP/FOD is appointed.

Appointment of Secretary of IFAD ad interim

Further to the departure of Mr Luis Jiménez-McInnis, this is to inform the Membership that as of 1 October 2022, the President has decided that Ms Deirdre Mc Grenra take up duties as Secretary of IFAD, a.i., until such time as the recruitment process for a new Secretary of IFAD has been completed. 

Ms Mc Grenra has acted as Chief, Institutional Governance and Member Relations Office, since May 2018, and first joined the Office of the Secretary in 2003. From 2015 to 2018, she was Chief, Americas Liaison Office, in the Partnership and Resource Mobilization Division.

Ms Mc Grenra may be contacted by telephone at +39 06 5459 2374 and by e-mail at d.mcgrenra@ifad.org.

Arabic, French, Spanish

IFAD Mango application

Distinguished Representatives,

The Office of the Secretary is pleased to draw your attention to IFAD Mango – IFAD’s Meeting Application for Networking on Governance. The app allows representatives to access documentation and information related to IFAD’s meetings and events, including accessing the meeting calendar and IFAD’s social media. The app also allows users to search, download and annotate documents.

You are encouraged to use the application on your personal devices, by downloading it for iOS and Android.

You may view a short video on the IFAD Mango application by clicking on this link.

For any queries, please contact the Institutional Governance and Member Relations unit at igmr@ifad.org.

Highest consideration,

Office of the Secretary