Message from the Chair and Director

Dear Colleagues:

A stimulating and productive Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2006, attended by more than 750 people in Washington, D.C., has just come to a close, and we are pleased to share with you in this issue of CGIAR News some of the highlights.

On Centers' and Members' Day, participants heard a forceful message about the urgent need for concerted action to help developing country agriculture adapt to the consequences of global climate change. The presentations and panel discussion on this theme also emphasized the relevance of a wide range of research initiatives under way in the CGIAR. They generated keen interest, not only among AGM06 participants, but also the international media, resulting in wide press coverage. Clearly, increasing global climate variability is a galvanizing issue that presents the Centers and Programs supported by the CGIAR with challenges and new opportunities to forge innovative partnerships. The morning session on agriculture and climate change was followed in the afternoon by a series of about a dozen parallel sessions dealing with diverse items on the CGIAR's research agenda.

The opening session of the AGM Stakeholder Meeting was, above all, a shared celebration of achievement and excellence, featuring the CGIAR Science Awards ceremony and the impressive exhibit of Centers, Challenge Programs and partners, including an engaging display of entries in the CGIAR's first photo competition.

Paul Wolfowitz, President of the World Bank Group, was able to join us for this session and played an active role. His remarks about the importance of sustainable growth in agriculture, the critical contribution of science in achieving this aim, and World Bank interest in collaborative research were highly encouraging, and we appreciated the keen interest he showed in the work and people of the CGIAR.

The centerpiece of the Stakeholder Meeting was the CSO-CGIAR Forum, with more than 400 participants, including more than 100 representatives of civil society organizations. The forum was organized and conducted in such a way as to foster open dialogue and lively discussion and to capture a rich harvest of comments about lessons learned from past collaboration and possible avenues for further enhancing CSO-CGIAR partnerships. Outcomes of the forum were presented at the AGM06 Business Meeting, which reached agreement on next steps for further strengthening CSO-CGIAR engagement.

The Stakeholder Meeting concluded with the Crawford lecture, which was given by Madame Anne-Marie Lizin, President of the Belgian Senate. She provided a compelling overview of global development issues - including governance, security, the environment, immigration and others - to which the work of the CGIAR is intimately connected.

The lecture was preceded by an announcement from Gold Mercury International that the CGIAR is the winner of its prestigious Cooperation and Development Award, which recognizes outstanding efforts to improve standards of living in developing countries. Gold Mercury has a long tradition of awarding individuals and organizations for major achievements in addressing key challenges of global governance and ethics.

In addition to its important conclusions on strengthening partnerships with CSOs, the AGM06 Business Meeting approved the CGIAR Financing Plan at US$513 million as well as a second phase for the Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program. The meeting also included the first CGIAR Member Coordination Forum, in which Members exchanged information on funding policies. It was confirmed that AGM07 will be held in Beijing, China, on December 3-6.

We hope you enjoy the account of AGM06 provided in the accompanying articles, which seek to convey the energy and excitement that was evident among participants.

We would also like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best in the upcoming holiday season as well as a peaceful and fruitful 2007.

Cordially,

Katherine Sierra CGIAR Chair

Francisco Reifschneider CGIAR Director