President John Mahama will on Monday, deliver a keynote speech to open the 38th session of the Governing Council of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The session is throwing the spotlight on rural transformation as a key to sustainable development.

Held annually at the IFAD headquarters in Rome, the Governing Council is the Fund’s main decision-making body, and includes all Member States.

This year’s session will begin with a roster of distinguished keynote speakers, including HE John Dramani Mahama, His Majesty Tupou VI, King of Tonga and Pier Carlo Padoan, Minister for Economy and Finance of the Italian Republic.

The meeting comes at a critical time, as the process of defining a post-2015 global agenda provides opportunities to refocus policies, investments and partnerships for more inclusive, sustainable and people-centred development.

IFAD’s objective in Ghana has been to reduce poverty in line with government’s economic development strategy.

IFAD has approved US$271.5 million in loans and grants to support 17 projects and programmes in Ghana, and has the third largest IFAD country programme in the West and Central Africa region.

?President Mahama will leave Accra on Sunday and return after the ceremony on Monday. ?