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ICARDA News International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012 Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG Website: www.icarda.org
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ICARDA
Board of Trustees Spring Meetings 2008
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The
43rd Meetings of the ICARDA Board of Trustees (BOT) was held at ICARDA
Headquarters in Aleppo, 28 April - 3 May. The official BOT Meeting
was held on 1-2 May; and it was preceded by the Board Program Committee
Meeting on 28-29 April followed by the Meetings of the Audit and Nomination
Committees and the Executive Committee which were held concurrently
on 30 April.
In their two-day-long meeting, the Board reviewed and discussed the implementation of ICARDA's Strategic Plan, the Medium Term Plan 2009-2011, implementation of the EPMR and CCER on Finance and Management, governance issues, staff matters and other issues. The Board devoted a special session to discuss the CGIAR Change Management Initiative and developed the elements of a position paper for ICARDA. Opening the meeting, Dr Guido Gryseels, Board Chairperson, welcomed the members, particularly the new members Dr Camilla Toulmin, Director of the International Institute of Environment and Development, London, Mr Taleb Kattoun representing the State Planning Commission of the host country Syria, and Ms Petal Somarsingh, a financial expert, who attended the Board Meeting as an observer before joining the next Board Meeting as a member. Dr Mahmoud Solh, Director General, presented his report to the Board, in which he highlighted the achievements of the Center and described the steps taken to implement the EPMR recommendations, the Strategic Plan, the recommendations on the CCER on Management and Finance, funding status and financial management, resource mobilization and donors relations, strengthening relations with NARS, participation in CGIAR meetings and the CGIAR Change Management, and the progress made in Challenge Programs.
The Director General informed the Board that many of the recommendations made in the EPMR and CCER have been implemented and the implementation of other recommendations was underway. The Strategic Plan has been completed and the implementation of the Strategy has already started. The Research Programs have been realigned. Dr Solh said that financially, the overall picture looks positive, considering the financial indicators of the CGIAR and the fact that the financial statement for 2007 reflected a surplus. The Board conveyed its appreciation to the Director General for the healthy financial condition of the Center but plans to pay close attention to financial matters throughout the year. The Board then had an exhaustive discussion on the implementation of recommendations of the 5th EPMR report, and the implementation of the recommendations of the CCER on Management and Finance, including Corporate Services. ICARDA's future CCERs also came up for discussion at the meeting. The CGIAR Change Management, which is currently underway, and External Review were also discussed by the members of the Board. The meeting also deliberated on ICARDA’s Performance Measurement Indicators. The Board Members had extensive deliberations on the issue of Human Resources and several important decision were taken, including inflation adjustment of salaries; merits, awards and bonuses based on performance appraisal, and reclassification of staff. The Director General later announced these Board decisions at a staff meeting held on 5 May. |
About
ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.org) is one of the 15
international research centers supported by the Consultative Group on
International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). ICARDA serves the entire
developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil, and faba bean;
and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management of water,
improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants (sheep and
goats), and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In the Central
and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible for
the improvement of durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage
legumes and farming systems; and for the protection and enhancement of
the natural resource base of water, land, and biodiversity.
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
(www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of countries, international and
regional organizations, and private foundations supporting15 international
research centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable
development by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition
and health, and protecting the environment.