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As we count down to the 49th session of the IFAD Governing Council, which will take place on 10 and 11 February, I am pleased to inform you that the updated programme has been posted on MSIP here.

In addition, an information note to delegates has been posted here. It provides further details on how to request bilateral meetings with IFAD staff, arrangements for the luncheon breaks over the two days, access to the Annual Governors’ Roundtable segment, and guidance for Member States’ representatives wishing to submit written or video-recorded statements.

During the Governing Council, you will hear from nine inspiring young entrepreneurs from IFAD-supported investment projects who have built thriving businesses. We are pleased to invite you to meet them at the Entrepreneurs’ Café on Tuesday, 10 February, from 1.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. This informal setting will offer an opportunity to learn more about their work, IFAD’s country-level engagement, and how these young entrepreneurs have emerged as key agents of change. If you wish to reserve a 15-minute meeting slot, please submit an expression of interest to corporate.events@ifad.org, indicating whether there is a specific entrepreneur you would like to meet. Biographies of the young entrepreneurs are available here.

We look forward to welcoming you to Rome soon!

Dr Claudia ten Have

Director, Office of the Secretary

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New Year message from the Secretary of IFAD

As we welcome 2026, I would like to extend my warmest New Year wishes to all IFAD Member States. We begin this year against a backdrop of global complexity, yet with a shared recognition that multilateral cooperation and collective action are more important than ever. Over its history, IFAD Membership has been characterized by a strong sense of shared purpose: to work together to advance rural transformation, food security and inclusive development worldwide.

The weeks ahead will be particularly significant for our institution. In just one month, we will convene the forty-ninth session of the Governing Council (GC49), a pivotal moment in IFAD’s governance calendar. Preparations are well under way, and there is palpable excitement around a programme that reflects IFAD’s ambition, partnerships and forward-looking vision.

GC49 will bring together leaders, Governors and partners to focus on the theme “From Farm to Market: Investing with Young Entrepreneurs”. We are especially honoured to welcome Mr Tony Elumelu, founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, as a key guest during the High-Level Segment. His long-standing commitment to entrepreneurship, job creation and youth empowerment speaks directly to IFAD’s commitment to inclusive growth and rural transformation. The High-Level Segment will also include Leaders’ Dialogues on financing rural development at the first mile and water security as a foundation for resilience, and a special event marking the tenth anniversary of the International Day of Family Remittances.

We are also honoured to welcome Her Excellency Mary Robinson – former President of Ireland, former Chair of The Elders, and former United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Change – who will deliver keynote remarks on the second day, marking the celebration of the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

This session of the Governing Council is also special as it formally kickstarts the Consultation on the Fourteenth Replenishment of IFAD’s Resources (IFAD14). In a demanding global environment, the IFAD14 process will provide an important forum for dialogue on ambition, impact and solidarity, as we shape IFAD’s role for 2028–2030.

Finally, I would like to draw your attention to an important opportunity within the Office of the Secretary. We are currently recruiting a P-5 Chief of Documents and Language Services, and we look forward to receiving many strong applications from qualified candidates.

I wish you all a successful and inspiring year ahead and look forward to welcoming you to GC49 at IFAD in Rome.

Dr Claudia ten Have

Secretary of IFAD

Director, Office of the Secretary

To read the full communication in the other official languages of the Fund, please click the following links: [Arabic][French][Spanish]

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