The IABA underscored “the importance of the Brathwaite administration given its many contributions to the improvement of agriculture and rural life in the Americas, calling particular attention to the effective, efficient and transparent manner in which he conducted the affairs of the Institute.”

Brathwaite, from Barbados, has been at the helm of the Institute since 2002. On January, 15, 2010, his successor, Victor Villalobos Arambula, from Mexico, will take over the General Directorate.

The countries commended him on “a job well done” and expressed appreciation for “the concern, integrity and intelligence with which he had fulfilled the responsibilities conferred on him by the Member States, and for his contributions to repositioning agriculture in the hemisphere.”

They also highlighted “the efforts made to establish IICA as a leader in its area of competence, the modernization of the technical and management systems of the Institute, the implementation of a new model for technical cooperation, involving national authorities and the private sector, and the greater role played by the Institute in the Summit of the Americas process.”

The members of the IABA also stated “Thanks to the integrity, creativity and humanity with which Brathwaite has directed the Institute, the confidence of the Member States has increased and the personnel are more committed to positioning IICA as a leading organization in its area of competence.”

According to Article 15 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Directorate, the IABA may confer to a person who has “served as Director General of the Institute, showing superior technical ability and an outstanding spirit of service.”

Brathwaite, who made transparency and accountability hallmarks of his administration, will present his successor with a full report on the activities of the last eight years. The document, written by some 70 staff members, including Directors, Representatives in the countries and technical and administrative personnel, consists of 800 pages and was delivered to each minister of agriculture on a CD.

“I leave an organization ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century and it gives me great satisfaction to know that I have kept the promises I made to the Member States at the beginning of my administration,” Brathwaite said.

During his career as an international functionary, he has held posts in the United States of America, Italy, Kenya, Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico and Costa Rica. He began his career in 1970 with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and has been with IICA for over 25 years.

He has received a number of honors, including the Companion of Honour from the Government of Barbados, which is the second highest honor bestowed by that country, as well as several honorary degrees, including those bestowed by the National University of Asuncion, Paraguay, and the University of Lima, Peru.

For further information
patricia.leon@iica.int