Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal has been re-elected as the Managing Director (CEO) of the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) during the 35th Annual Meeting of the Governing Council on 22 November 2023, held in The Hague. Ambassador Belal, holding the rank and status of Under-Secretary-General (USG), secured a landslide victory with over 68% of the votes, marking a historic achievement in the 34-year history of the CFC. His Italian competitor garnered 31% of the votes. This decisive win underscores Ambassador Belal’s exceptional leadership and the confidence placed in him by representatives from 101 member countries and international organizations.
Ambassador Belal’s re-election reflects the global confidence in his vision and leadership. His commitment to the CFC’s mandate is encapsulated in his statement: “The CFC is a unique institution with a great history. I come as a firm believer in its mandate to help alleviate as many smallholders as possible from poverty through our technology-enabled impact investment."
Ambassador Belal initially assumed the role of Managing Director at the CFC in December 2019, following his election by consensus at the 31st Annual Meeting of the Governing Council. Under his leadership, the CFC has continued its mandate of providing financial support to commodity value chain projects, aiding sustainable development in member countries.
Before joining the CFC, Ambassador Belal served as the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, concurrently accredited to the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, from March 2014 to February 2020. During his tenure, he represented Bangladesh as the Permanent Representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). He served in prominent roles, including Chairperson of the Executive Council from 2017 to 2018.
Ambassador Belal’s illustrious diplomatic career includes assignments as chargé d’affaires in Washington DC and Tashkent as well as in Canberra, Kuala Lumpur and Dhaka in other important duties. His expertise and commitment have also been recognised in his roles with the Trust Fund for Victims of the International Criminal Court, where he has been a Board Member (2018-2024), and as Facilitator for the Trust Fund of Victims from 2015 to 2016.
Beyond his professional achievements, Ambassador Belal is an active member of the International Gender Champions network, advocating for gender parity. He is married to Dr. Dilruba Nasrin, and they are proud parents of two children and grandparents to a grandson.
Academically, Ambassador Belal holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University, USA and a Master’s in International Relations and Trade from Monash University, Australia. He did his bachelor in Forestry from Chittagong University in Bangladesh.
An avid fan of soccer, cricket, and the NFL, Ambassador Belal also enjoys traveling and reading. His motto, “Humanity first and foremost,” exemplifies his dedication to serving global communities. His concept of “humanizing value chains” could evolve into revolutionary pathways to connect the smallholders/workers with the conscious consumers across the globe. Such connectivity may radically change the value chains as “doing well by doing good”.
