WASHINGTON -- Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kan., led their Republican colleagues in sending a bicameral letter to U.S. President Biden, urging him to reject a proposal before the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s Council that they say “would alter governance and leadership arrangements at the FAO, strengthen China’s position in the organization, and weaken American agricultural leadership on the world stage.”

 In the letter, the Senate and House lawmakers wrote, “Following the election of Donald J. Trump as the 47th president of the United States, Qu Dongyu, former People’s Republic of China vice minister and current director general of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization submitted a proposal to the FAO Council. The proposal would extend the director-general’s current maximum tenure from eight years to a decade, increase the director-general’s dlrs 300,000 annual salary and allowance, and exert more control over the U.S.-led World Food Programme. When as many as 700 million people face hunger globally and manmade global conflicts are on the rise, this proposal de-emphasizes any of FAO’s successful efforts to achieve food security and allows China to expand its global influence by taking advantage of America as it transitions political administrations.”

 The lawmakers added, “Let us be clear, the nationality of any FAO director-general alone is not of concern; rather, our concern remains with policy initiatives and personnel appointments which could advance foreign policy goals which pose a threat to America. Since 2019, China’s involvement in FAO has eclipsed several United Nations’ policy goals with initiatives which serve China’s foreign policy agenda. Additionally, the number of Chinese appointees to high-level divisions at FAO has nearly doubled, including to areas in which China and the United States have conflicting policy positions.”

 The document presented to the FAO Council said, “The proposals are thus aimed at making FAO more fit for purpose for the future, within the context of the evolving global development agenda, as pertinent to the mandate of the organization.”

 The lawmakers noted that the FAO Council could not reach an agreement on the proposal and forwarded it to a state of informal consultation but they said: “We remain concerned that it or other proposed reforms like it could advance to the next council, comprised of 49 member states, including the United States, and then to the Plenary Conference in July 2025, where all 195 members could consider the proposal.”

 Finally, the lawmakers told Biden: “America cannot afford to sit idly by — even in a time of political transition — while China positions itself to expand its influence over a body to which our nation belongs. We urge you to reject any proposal that could undermine efficiency in food and agriculture-related organizations, strengthen China’s position, or weaken America’s leadership on the world stage. Further, we urge you to position American farmers, ranchers, foresters, and agricultural producers as the global leader in food and agriculture and to represent our country’s production and ideals across the globe.”

 The FAO is one of three United Nations agriculture and food agencies based in Rome. The others are the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

 The executive director of the World Food Programme, the largest distributor of food aid in the world, is Cindy McCain, who was nominated to the UN by Biden. McCain is the widow of the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. She endorsed Biden in 2020. Biden subsequently appointed her as U.S. ambassador to the Rome-based UN agencies and later urged the UN to make her head of the World Food Programme. McCain began a five-year term in April 2023.

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