Magwenzi - Zim's first FAO DDG

THE Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has appointed Diplomat, Godfrey Magwenzi, as it’s substantive Deputy Director-General, becoming the first Zimbabwean to occupy that post.

Magwenzi’s appointment was confirmed on Monday at FAO’s Hundred and Seventy-sixth Session currently underway in Rome, Italy.

The appointment followed a recommendation by the Director General, Dr Qu Dongyu, to the council.

“I am pleased to inform you that I have selected Mr Godfrey Magwenzi for the position of Deputy Director-General (DDG) of FAO. The selection decision is the result of a rigorous, competitive and transparent process, in view of the retirement of Ms Maria Helena Semedo in July this year,” said Dr. Qu Dongyu.

“We received 354 applications, of which eight candidates were shortlisted for interviews. The interviews were conducted by a panel, consisting of the two Deputy Director-Generals of FAO, the Chief Scientist ad interim, the Director of Human Resources ad interim, and an external Member.

“You all know Godfrey well, as he has served as the Director of Cabinet since 2020, executing his duties with utmost professionalism and competency, bringing his broad and in-depth experience as a long-serving seasoned diplomat to the position, including as Permanent Representative of Zimbabwe to FAO for five years.

“I look forward to continuing working with Godrey, and the whole Core Leadership team, with renewed energy, in the spirit of the institutional renewal of FAO,” he added.

Before this latest appointment, Magwenzi was the Director of Cabinet at FAO.

Magwenzi holds a Master of Science in International Relations from the University of Zimbabwe.

Prior to joining FAO, Mr Magwenzi served as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the United Nations Rome-based Agencies (RBAs) in Rome, Italy, from 2014 to 2019.

He joined FAO on 23 September 2019 as Senior Advisor to the Director-General, Office of the Director-General (ODG) and was appointed to the position of Directeur-de-Cabinet in the same office on 1 March 2020.

He started his career in 1988 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Republic of Zimbabwe, where he worked as Administrative Officer in Africa and the Middle East Department and, subsequently, advanced to Senior Administrative Officer.

From 1992 to 1997, he was posted at the Zimbabwe Consulate as First Secretary for Trade Promotion in Beira, Mozambique. Between 1998 and2003, he returned to MFA, where he served in different areas of increasing responsibilities, in particular as Principal Administrative Officer in Regional and Economic Cooperation Department, Principal Administrative Officer in Policy Research and Promotion Department, Under Secretary in Administration and Human Resources Department, Under Secretary of Europe and the Americas,and Under Secretary in Policy Research and Promotion Department.

From 2003 to 2006, he served as the Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Zimbabwe in London, United Kingdom. In 2006, he was Director of Policy Research and Promotion and, at a later stage, Director of Multilateral Affairs at MFA. In 2011, he served as a Consul General at the Consulate of the Republic of Zimbabwe in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Additional information from FAO website