External Affairs Department

The External Affairs Department’s overall goal is increased political and financial support for IFAD. Accordingly, the Department’s immediate objective is to ensure that IFAD’s pro-rural-poor role and influence are enhanced beyond the immediate impact of projects.

In order to achieve this goal and objective, the Department must ensure that the following outputs are achieved over time:

  • All IFAD clients/stakeholders (Member States, United Nations system, international and civil-society institutions), as appropriate, are informed and convinced of IFAD’s pro-poor policy and rural development concerns.
  • Relations with Member States are strengthened and developed, and IFAD institutional meetings are well serviced.
  • Partnerships with bilaterals, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and other policy actors are well managed for the purposes of resource mobilization, coalition-building and advocacy.
  • Planned financial resources are realized and new resource opportunities are mobilized.
  • IFAD’s communication strategy is developed and implemented, and the management and use of documentary resources, both external and internal, is optimized.


The goal of the Policy Division is to create a supportive national, regional and global environment for enabling the rural poor to overcome their poverty. It will be a forum for examining IFAD’s grass-roots experiences in the light of emerging concerns of the international community and the findings of the Office of Evaluation and Studies. For more information send mail to: eomailbox@ifad.org

The goal of the Communications Division is to create a dynamic voice for IFAD on all stages, large and small, internal and external. For more information send mail to: ecmailbox@ifad.org

The goal of the Office of the Secretary is to promote smooth relations with IFAD Member States through efficient organization of ordinary and extraordinary meetings of IFAD's governing bodies (Governing Council, Executive Board, Replenishment meetings), adhoc meetings, seminars, working groups and committees. The Office of the Secretary also provides strategic approach to country relations focusing on mobilizing resource and access to information and knowledge resources through the Information Resources Centre. For more information send mail to esmailbox@ifad.org

North American Liaison Office (NALO) is IFAD's window on UN headquarters and Washington, DC.  Its two linked offices provide a ground-level perspective on policy developments, debates, and deliberations in both arenas.  NALO provides timely updates and analysis to IFAD headquarters,  identifies opportunities for IFAD engagement and works to influence international policies in favor of smallholder farmers and poor rural entrepreneurs.  NALO is an important conduit for information and knowledge sharing among IFAD headquarters, UN headquarters and the Washington, DC development community.  It also cultivates collaboration and partnerships with U.S.-based development actors, including: governments, other UN agencies and international financial institutions, civil society organizations, foundations, the private sector, and research institutions. 

The goal of the Belgian Survival Fund Joint Programme is to finance health and social components of projects and programmes, with Belgian official development assistance resources, in African countries in which IFAD has an active portfolio. For more information send mail to: bsfmailbox@ifad.org

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