General Information

Under the direction of IFAD’s governing bodies, the President of IFAD is responsible for conducting the business of the Fund and for organizing its work. The President is the chairperson of the Executive Board, whose membership consists of representatives of IFAD’s Member States.

The President of IFAD has the same rank as the elected heads of other major United Nations specialized agencies. S/he is a Member of the United Nations Chief Executives Board, which is chaired by the UN Secretary-General, and which guides the coordination of the work of the UN system as a whole.

The President of IFAD is elected for four years with a two-term limit of eight years. The current President of IFAD is Mr Alvaro Lario, whose first term ends on 31 March 2027.

In accordance with the Agreement Establishing IFAD, the Governing Council of IFAD will be holding an election of the President at its forthcoming annual meeting on 2 and 3 February 2027. The elected President will take office on 1 April 2027.

Nominations of candidates for the President of IFAD are put forward by Member States of the Fund and must be received by the Secretary of IFAD by midnight, 24 November 2026, Rome time.