New FAO Tea Officer

AFRICA

Senior Economist Jean Luc Mastaki Namegabe was recently named team leader for raw materials, horticulture, and tropical products (RAMHOT) at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and therefore also takes over responsibility for the secretariat of the intergovernmental group (IGG) on tea in the FAO’s trade and markets division.

Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Mastaki Namegabe has 20 years’ experience in rural and agricultural economics, trade and development.

He has a PhD in rural economics from the University of Liege, Belgium, and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. He began his career as professor in the economic departments in various universities in the DRC. He later worked for more than 12 years as an economic affairs officer in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Mastaki Namegabe’s first meeting with representatives of the global tea industry and trade took place at the 1st International Tea Convention in Yibin, Sichuan, China, in March. He will play a prominent role at the FAO IGG Tea 23rd inter sessional meeting, to take place in Sri Lanka in August.