The principal function of the Regional Offices is the overall identification, planning and implementation of FAO's priority activities in the Region. They ensure a multi disciplinary approach to programmes; identify priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region and, in collaboration with departments and divisions at headquarters, advise on the incorporation of such priorities into the Organization's Programme of Work and Budget; implement approved programmes in the Region; and monitor the level of programme implementation and draw attention to any deficiencies.

Locations of Regional Offices

• Regional Office for Africa (RAF) located in Accra, Ghana;
• Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) located in Bangkok, Thailand;
• Regional Office for Europe (REU) located in Rome, Italy;
• Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC) located in Santiago, Chile;
• Regional Office for the Near East (RNE) located in Cairo, Egypt.

Specific activities of the Regional Offices

• Ensure a multidisciplinary approach to projects and programmes implemented in the Region with FAO's technical assistance.
• Report on the major developments and trends in countries of the Region, based on Regional and Sub-regional objectives for food and agriculture.
• Organize the FAO Regional Conference for the Region, every two years.
• Maintain policy and technical dialogue with and among FAO member countries, involving national and international institutions.
• Follow up on the World Food Summit and issues related to Food Security in the Region.
• Promote technical cooperation among the countries of the Region.

The Sub-regional Offices work closely with the respective Regional Offices. The Sub-regional Offices are primarily responsible for the overall planning of FAO activities in the Sub-region. With the guidance and support of the Regional Offices, they ensure a multi disciplinary approach to programmes; identify priority areas of action for the Sub-region; implement approved programmes in the Sub-region; and monitor the level of programme implementation and draw attention to any deficiencies.

Sub-regional Office for North Africa (SNEA) located in Tunisia, Tunis

Algeria    Libyan Arab Jamahiriya    Mauritania    Morocco    Tunisia   

Sub-regional Office for Southern and East Africa (SAFR) located in Harare, Zimbabwe

Angola   Botswana   Burundi   Comoros   Eritrea   Ethiopia   Kenya   Lesotho   Madagascar   Malawi   Mauritius   Mozambique   Namibia   Rwanda   Seychelles   South Africa   Swaziland   Uganda   United Republic of Tanzania   Zambia   Zimbabwe  

Sub-regional Office for the Pacific Islands (SAPA) located in Apia, Samoa

Cook Islands   Fiji   Kiribati   Marshall Islands   Micronesia (Federated States of)   Nauru   Niue   Palau   Papua New Guinea   Samoa   Solomon Islands   Tonga   Tuvalu   Vanuatu  

Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean (SLAC) located in Bridgetown, Barbados

Antigua and Barbuda   Bahamas   Barbados   Belize   Cuba   Dominica   Dominican Republic   Grenada   Guyana   Haiti   Jamaica   Saint Kitts and Nevis   Saint Lucia   Saint Vincent and the Grenadines   Suriname   Trinidad and Tobago  

Sub-regional Office for Eastern Europe (SEUR) located in Budapest, Hungary

Albania   Armenia   Azerbaijan   Bosnia and Herzegovina   Bulgaria   Croatia   Czech Republic   Estonia   Georgia   Hungary   Latvia   Lithuania   Poland   Republic of Moldova   Romania   Serbia and Montenegro   Slovakia   Slovenia   The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia   Ukraine  

Specific activities of the Sub-regional Offices

• Ensure a multidisciplinary approach to projects and programmes implemented in the Sub-region with FAO's technical assistance.
• Report on the major developments and trends in countries of the Sub-region, based on their objectives for food and agriculture.
• Ensure policy and technical dialogue with and among FAO member countries, involving national and international institutions.
• Follow up on the World Food Summit and issues related to Food Security in the Sub-region.
• Promote technical cooperation among the countries.

The Liaison Offices have been established at locations where many UN system organizations and other international, intergovernmental or non-governmental associations or organizations are working. They maintain relations with Members and external development partners operating in these locations. They monitor developments affecting nutrition, food and agriculture and represent the Organization at meetings which address matters that fall within the mandate of FAO.

Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York (LONY): The Liaison Office has a lead responsibility in the development and implementation of FAO policies and decisions concerning enhanced FAO cooperation and partnerships with the United Nations system and with other international organizations and institutions located in New York.

Liaison Office for North America in Washington D.C. (LOWA): The Liaison Office advises and assists in the development and implementation of FAO policies and programmes by facilitating communication and cooperation between FAO and the North American governments and the public, and between FAO and the international and inter-American organizations based in Washington D.C.

Liaison Office with the United Nations in Geneva (LOGE): The Liaison Office advises and assists, together with LONY, in the development and implementation of FAO policies and decisions concerning enhanced FAO cooperation and partnerships with the UN system, between FAO and the United Nations and with other international organizations located in Geneva. It serves as the focal point for relations with these organizations.

Liaison Office with Japan in Yokohama (LOJA): The Liaison Office advises and assists in the development and implementation of FAO policies and programmes by facilitating communication and cooperation between FAO and the Government of Japan and the public, and between FAO and international organizations based in Japan.

Liaison Office with the European Union and Belgium in Brussels (LOBR): The Liaison Office follows the work of the Commission and other organs of the European Community in areas of relevance to FAO's policies and programmes, and facilitates communication and cooperation between FAO and the Commission. It also provides liaison arrangements between FAO, the Government of Belgium and other institutions, including non-governmental organizations based in Belgium.

FAO is currently present through its Representations in the countries listed on this page. The main aim of these offices is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to remove the root causes of hunger and malnutrition; to help them to develop their agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable way.

In particular, this is achieved by:

• Implementing FAO's field projects and participating to the development of the Field Programme by identifying and formulating new projects and by liaising with local donor representations.
• Helping governments to prevent and assess the damage of disasters and assist them in reconstruction and rehabilitation of the agricultural sector.
• Carrying out public awareness activities and support some important FAO campaigns such as TeleFood and the World Food Day.
• Providing assistance to technical and investment missions from FAO headquarters and from Regional or Sub-regional Offices to the country.
• Serving as the channel of FAO's services to governments and other partners (donors, NGOs, CSOs, research institutions, etc.).
• Keeping FAO informed of major social and economic developments in the country and monitoring the situation of the agriculture sector in the country.
• Representing FAO before host governments and all partners involved in FAO activities.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has embarked on the most significant reorganization since its founding, with a fundamental objective to bring FAO as close to its Members as is effectively possible. The reorganization necessitated a more decentralized structure and a management style with delegation of authority and an environment that encourages staff creativity and initiative.

The reorganization also strengthens FAO as a centre of excellence and a world reference centre through delineation of responsibility for global, regional and country-specific activities.
In addition to its headquarters in Rome, Italy, FAO has an extensive decentralized network of:

• Five Regional Offices for Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Near East and Europe;
• Five Sub-regional Offices for Southern and East Africa, Pacific Islands, the Caribbean, North Africa and Central and Eastern Europe;
• Five Liaison Offices in Geneva, Washington D.C., New York, Brussels and Yokohama; and
• Seventy-eight Country Representations.