The Global Forum on Agricultural Research has a new Executive Secretary ad interim.

Dr. Abdelmajid Slama, from Tunisia, was appointed Executive Secretary a. i. on February 6th 2007.

Born in 1943, Tunisian national, Dr. Abdelmajid Slama graduated in Agricultural Engineering and Agronomy from the National Agricultural Institute, University of Tunis (1967) and in Agricultural Economics from the University of Minnesota (1971). Dr. Slama has over 35 years of national and international experience with a rich and balanced coverage of all the relevant aspects of agricultural development in developing countries. He was also actively involved in the IFAD initiated process that culminated in the creation of GFAR and chaired its Donor Support Group until 1999.

• Member of BoT of INBAR (1997-99), of BoD of IFDC (2000 to present), of BoT of ICARDA (2004 to present), of BoD of ICBA (2003-2005)
• Managing Director, a.i., Global Mechanism (GM) of the UNCCD (November 2003 to February 2005)
• Director, Near East, North Africa and Europe Division at IFAD (June 1999 - September 2004)
• Director, Technical Advisory Division at IFAD (March 1996 to May 1999)
• Country Portfolio Manager at IFAD (May 1983 - February 1996)
• Director General, National Centre for Agricultural Studies - Ministry of Agriculture - Tunisia (June 1975 - April 1983)