Groups and committees

Ad hoc Working Group on Governance

The Ad hoc Working Group on Governance (WGG) was established by the Governing Council at its thirty-eighth session in February 2015.

The WGG was tasked with considering governance issues, in particular :

• reviewing and assessing the structure, appropriateness and relevance of the IFAD List system;
• reviewing and assessing the composition of the Replenishment Consultation and the length of replenishment cycles in IFAD11 and beyond; and
• making proposals thereon for consideration by the Executive Board for submission to the Governing Council, as appropriate.

In so doing, the WGG also reviewed current practices of other international financial institutions and consulted with relevant experts on governance structures, replenishment procedures and compositions.

The WGG was composed of nine members from among IFAD’s Member States: four members from List A, two members from List B and three members from List C. It elected ad personam one chairperson from List C (Argentina) and two vice-chairpersons: one from List A (United Kingdom) and one from List B (Indonesia). IFAD Members who were not members of the WGG were able to participate in meetings as observers with the right to speak.

In 2015 and 2016, the WGG held nine meetings. It also held several informal meetings and consultations with the Lists and IFAD Management. Its deliberations were documented by meeting syntheses as well as progress reports presented to the Executive Board.

The WGG discussed several proposals regarding the List system and matters related to IFAD’s replenishments. It reached consensus on some replenishment issues and agreed on guidelines for List definitions. The WGG finalized its report and presented it to the Executive Board in December 2016. At its fortieth session in February 2017, the Governing Council considered the report and adopted Resolution 194/XL entitled Approval of the Recommendations of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Governance.

Emoluments Committee

The Emoluments Committee is a subsidiary body of the Governing Council, established when required to review the emoluments of the President of IFAD prior to the next appointment.

The Committee consists of nine Governors (four from List A, two from List B and three from List C) or their representatives.

The Emoluments Committee finalized a report and presented it to the Executive Board in December 2016. At its fortieth session in February 2017, the Governing Council considered the report and adopted the draft Resolution 192/XL on the emoluments of the President of IFAD. 

Convenors and Friends

The group of Convenors and Friends of IFAD’s Executive Board is made up of representatives from each of the three Lists of IFAD Member States.

The primary purpose of the group is to:

• enhance the functioning of the Fund through coordination, transparency and effectiveness;
• facilitate the work and decisions to be taken in the Executive Board and other governing bodies, such as decisions on procedural issues;
• improve communications between IFAD Management and the Board; and enhance consultation.

Convenors and Friends meet regularly with the President and Management, in addition to holding informal meetings with the Office of the Secretary as required.

The duly elected Convenors (including Co-Convenors, if any) of the Lists are the focal points for the membership. They may bring a small number of Friends to the meetings.

The President of IFAD normally chairs the meetings.