an agronomist with over three decades of leadership in Central America and the Caribbean, told the Washington meeting that his priority would be to promote food security and nutrition, foster disaster resilience and water security, and advance diversified, health-focused food systems.

The gathering was chaired by Jamaica’s Ambassador to the U.S. and OAS, Antony Anderson, who introduced Ibrahim as Guyana and CARICOM’s candidate, with unanimous backing from the heads of state and government of the 14 CARICOM/IICA members. Ibrahim also outlined plans to strengthen rural youth and women’s participation, aiming to nurture a new generation of agribusiness entrepreneurs.

CARICOM ambassadors pledged to intensify efforts to elect Ibrahim as the new IICA Director General, a position to be filled this November when agriculture ministers meet in Brasilia to replace outgoing director Manuel Otero.

In Washington, Ibrahim met senior officials from the State Department, the Department of Agriculture, and OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin. Joined by Guyana’s OAS Ambassador, Sam Hinds, they discussed IICA-OAS cooperation, prioritizing Haiti’s food and nutrition security, cross-border pest and disease control, and water scarcity and storage. They stressed promoting agriculture as a vehicle for rural job creation and community rootedness to curb migration. (IICA Press Release)