On the request of several Rome-based missions, the Executive Board Secretariat, with the support of HQ Services and HQ Security, facilitated several high-level visits including two head of states on Monday, 15 and Tuesday, 16 October 2018. Each visit included a stop at the Memorial Wall for a moment of reflection and to lay a floral wreath incorporating the national flowers and colours of the national flags of each delegation.
Her Excellency Epsy Campbell Barr, Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Costa Rica, was the first to visit on Monday, 15 October 2018. The Vice-President met with the Executive Director, with both co-signing a Letter of Intention for the Republic of Costa Rica and the World Food Programme to work more closely together. A short briefing in the Operations Centre (OPSCEN) and a photo opportunity as well as a showing of the WFP Corporate video took place in the Auditorium.
Soon after the visit of the Vice-President, the Executive Director welcomed Her Excellency Julia Klöckner, Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture of Germany, who also laid a wreath incorporating the national flower of Germany, the blue cornflower, at the Memorial Wall.
Following the events at FAO on World Food Day on Tuesday, 16 October, the Executive Director started his series of back-to- back visits with a meeting with Mr. Mark Green, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). A brief visit to the Auditorium allowed Mr. Green to view a video of the Executive Director’s visit to the Sahel and receive a quick governance overview by the Board Secretary.
H.E. Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland, and the First Lady of the Republic of Poland, Mrs. Agata Kornhauser-Duda, paid their visit to WFP later that afternoon. After receiving a briefing in OPSCEN, a formal lunch with the Executive Director and his wife, Mrs. Mary-Wood Beasley, and a select number WFP staff who shared their stories with the First Lady whilst serving for WFP, the President and the First Lady met with Polish national staff working in Headquarters.
The series of meetings concluded with royalty: the visit of His Majesty King Letsie III of the Kingdom of Lesotho. His Majesty also had an opportunity to greet the sole Lesotho national staff member working in Headquarters.
The Executive Board Secretariat has been arranging visits for high-level delegations since November 2015. To request the assistance of the WFP Executive Board Secretariat with the planning of any high level visits you may have to WFP, please send an email with details to WFPSecretarytotheeb@wfp.org.
