The Regional Council shall ensure the coordination of the work of the Divisions at the regional level, especially strengthening advocacy and supporting the visibility, coherence and effectiveness of IFLA’s work across the regions. The Regional Council is comprised of the Chair of the Regional Council and the Chairs of each Regional Division.

Regional Divisions contribute to IFLA’s overall strategy and work with other relevant committees and groups to increase library advocacy within the region. They support development of actions plans for the region, carry out projects in identified priority areas for the region (notably around advocacy), discuss progress on implementing the IFLA Strategy in the region, support initiatives to promote IFLA and IFLA membership in the region and liaise with regional offices.

Regional Council Chair (one place)

To serve August 2025-August 2027

IFLA’s Regional Council plays a key role both in increasing the presence of world regions in IFLA, and IFLA’s presence around the world. It has a particular focus on advocacy and capacity building.

Its Chair oversees this work, liaising both with IFLA’s Professional Council, and ensuring that the voice of regions is heard on the Governing Board. The Chair of the Regional Council is a full member of the Governing Board.

Name Number of votes
1. Ertuğrul Çimen (Türkiye) 1185 ELECTED
 
Sanjay Kumar Bihani (India) 504
Saif Aljabri (Oman) 271

Summary of voting

Number of voting codes issued: 1688
Number of voting codes used: 778
Turnout: 46.09%

Asia-Oceania Regional Division Committee

Name Number of votes
1. Kim Taunga (New Zealand) 151 ELECTED
2. Stephen Harris (Australia) 125 ELECTED
3. Lilly Hoi Sze Ho (Australia) 114 ELECTED
4. Jeong-Kwon Cho (Republic of Korea) 109 ELECTED
5. Hiroyuki Tsunoda (Japan) 107 ELECTED
6. Lorin Mary Pai (Fiji) 104 ELECTED
7. Punnapa Suksakorn (Thailand) 96 ELECTED
8. Man Yi Helen Chan (China) 94 ELECTED
9. Jennifer Dimasaca (Philippines) 89 ELECTED
10. Piotr Lapo (Kazakhstan) 89 ELECTED
11. Trina Schuster (New Zealand) 89 ELECTED
12. Hitoshi Kamada (Japan) 88 ELECTED
13. Dolores Carungui (Philippines) 87 ELECTED
14. Jun Zhang (China) 82 ELECTED
15. Mohd Faizal Bin Hamzah (Malaysia) 76 ELECTED
16. Restu Putri Sholikhah (Indonesia) 72 ELECTED
17. Labibah Zain (Indonesia) 72 ELECTED
18. Sanjay Kumar Bihani (India) 67 ELECTED
19. Betty Eni Williams (Vanuatu) 64 ELECTED
20. Rabiya Ali Faridi (Pakistan) 57 ELECTED
   
Shelly Lausberg (Australia) 99*
Edmund Balnaves (Australia) 86*
Zola Maddison (Australia) 76*
Vasiti Chambers (Fiji) 57
Erlinda Naputi (Northern Mariana Islands) 52
Boniface Supa (Solomon Islands) 52
Ledua Tamanitoakula (Fiji) 48
Jianbin Jin (China) 47
Liviana Tabalala (Fiji) 46
Uthumansa Ahamed (Sri Lanka) 44
Togi Tunupopo (Samoa) 43
Raman Deep (India) 42
Xuelai Bian (China) 41
Chao Wang (China) 41
Rende Li (China) 39
Shahajada Masud Anowarul Haque (Bangladesh) 37
O N Chaubey (India) 34
Basheerhamad Shadrach (India) 31
Neeza Singh (India) 30
Thankavadivel Ramanan (Sri Lanka) 29
Nabi Hasan (India) 28
Kanchan Nagpal (India) 28
Wei Zeng (China) 26
Emily Chan (China) 23
Gyaneshwar Narayan (Fiji) 23
Debal Kar (India) 19
Dilhani Munasinghe (Sri Lanka) 18
Harshani Dissanayake (Sri Lanka) 16
Noman Hossain (Bangladesh) 14

*To avoid large shares of Committee memberships being taken up by individuals from only one country or group of countries, a system of national caps is in place for the Regional Division Committees. In the Asia-Oceania Region, there is a maximum of two Regional Division Committee members from any one country. As such, the third highest-scoring candidate from any one country will not be elected. Learn more on Country Caps (p.33).

Summary of voting

Number of voting codes issued: 359
Number of voting codes used: 171
Turnout: 47.63%

Europe Regional Division Committee

Name Number of votes
1. Antti Sauli (Finland) 667 ELECTED
2. Silvia Ernhagen (Sweden) 630 ELECTED
3. Zélia Parreira (Portugal) 593 ELECTED
4. Dagnija Baltina (Latvia) 558 ELECTED
Julia Konopka-Żołnierczuk (Poland) 530 (Withdrawn)
5. Arne Gundersen (Norway) 515 ELECTED
6. Katre Riisalu (Estonia) 436 ELECTED
7. Juliana Pranke (Germany) 427 ELECTED
8. Nick Boxem (Netherlands) 400 ELECTED
9. Pascal Sanz (France) 385 ELECTED
10. Judit Gerencser (Hungary) 359 ELECTED
11. Mojca Rupar Korosec (Slovenia) 349 ELECTED
12. Jasenka Plesko (Croatia) 337 ELECTED
13. Spaska Tarandova (Bulgaria) 333 ELECTED
14. Patrick Urru (Italy) 327 ELECTED
15. Ján Šimko (Slovakia) 322 ELECTED
16. Anthi Katsirikou (Greece) 318 ELECTED
17. Francesc Xavier González Cuadra (Spain) 306 ELECTED
18. Mina Charalambous (Cyprus) 301 ELECTED
19. Sonja Przulj (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 270 ELECTED
20. Beba Stankovic (Serbia) 209 ELECTED
Elina Vela (Latvia) 379*
Monique Alberts (Netherlands) 333*
Arnaud Gaudry (France) 274*
Barbara Kavcic (Slovenia) 242*
Alessio Callegari (Italy) 263
Silvia Stasselová (Slovakia) 245
Tuba Akbaytürk (Türkiye) 222 (Withdrawn)
Antonija Lujanac (Croatia) 208
Fatma Yildirim (Türkiye) 112
Pavel Kuzmin (Russian Federation) 67
Belgüzar Aksoy Gürer (Türkiye) 66
Ayşe Açıcı (Türkiye) 56
Jo Cornish (United Kingdom) 24 (Withdrawn)

*To avoid large shares of Committee memberships being taken up by individuals from only one country or group of countries, a system of national caps is in place for the Regional Division Committees. In the Europe Region, there is a maximum of one Regional Division Committee members from any one country. As such, the second highest-scoring candidate from any one country will not be elected. Learn more on Country Caps (p.33).

Summary of voting

Number of voting codes issued: 599
Number of voting codes used: 307
Turnout: 51.25%

Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Division Committee

Name Number of votes
1. Christian Arguedas (Costa Rica) 109 ELECTED
2. Roxana Huaman Huriarte (Peru) 106 ELECTED
3. Raphael Cavalcante (Brazil) 97 ELECTED
4. Julia Demasi (Uruguay) 87 ELECTED
5. Jeimy Hernández Toscano (Colombia) 81 ELECTED
6. Ana Judith Rivera De Méndez (El Salvador) 80 ELECTED
7. Jessica Carvajal (Chile) 78 ELECTED
8. Ramón Alberto Manso Rodríguez (Cuba) 78 ELECTED
9. Herminio Asprilla (Panama) 77 ELECTED
10. Nancy Abreu-Baez (Puerto Rico) 73 ELECTED
11. Antonio Cobos Flores (Mexico) 73 ELECTED
12. Pablo Bruno D’Amico (Argentina) 73 ELECTED
13. Ricardo Crisafulli Rodrigues (Brazil) 73 ELECTED
14. Rhina Kelly Turquesa Aquino Tobias (El Salvador) 73 ELECTED
15. Perla Olivia Rodríguez Reséndiz (Mexico) 68 ELECTED
16. Jasmin Simmons (Trinidad and Tobago) 66 ELECTED
17. Nora Camberos Bolaños (Bolivia) 65 ELECTED
18. Marisol Zuniga (Guatemala) 64 ELECTED
19. Eduardo Puente (Ecuador) 60 ELECTED
20. Rosa Fermina Garcia Cossio (Colombia) 58 ELECTED
Elsa Ramírez Leyva (Mexico) 60*
Priscila Machado Borges Sena (Brazil) 59*
Judith Wright (Trinidad and Tobago) 57
Kathy Birch Mcdiarmed (Saint Lucia) 52
Reymundo Juárez Jiménez (Mexico) 48
Soledad Lago (Argentina) 45
Davi Ramkallawan (Trinidad and Tobago) 45
Olga Romina Gomez (Argentina) 38
Daisy A St. Rose (Saint Lucia) 38
Claudia Bugueño (Ecuador) 37
Paola Lourdes Banegas (Argentina) 33
Paula Larrain (Chile) 31
Jair Ocampo Hernandez (Colombia) 19
Freddy Luis Maidana Rodriguez (Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 12

*To avoid large shares of Committee memberships being taken up by individuals from only one country or group of countries, a system of national caps is in place for the Regional Division Committees. In the Latin America and the Caribbean region, there is a maximum of two Regional Division Committee members from any one country. As such, the third highest-scoring candidate from any one country will not be elected. Learn more on Country Caps (p.33).

Summary of voting

Number of voting codes issued: 98
Number of voting codes used: 62
Turnout: 63.27%

Middle East and North Africa Regional Division Committee

Name Number of votes
1. Imad Bachir (Lebanon) 65 ELECTED
2. Abeer Kuwari (Qatar) 63 ELECTED
3. Hamad Alhemeiri (United Arab Emirates) 50 ELECTED
4. Waleed Al Badi (Oman) 48 ELECTED
5. Bayan Abu Sini (Jordan) 37 ELECTED
6. Nermine Mahmoud Rifaat Awaad (Egypt) 32 ELECTED
7. Fatma Layeb (Tunisia) 31 ELECTED
8. Mohammed Khobrani (Saudi Arabia) 30 ELECTED
9. Asma Alkanan (Kuwait) 25 ELECTED
10. Lamyaa Nothing (Sudan) 25 ELECTED
11. Anfal Touafek (Algeria) 25 ELECTED
12. Karrar Al Hilu (Iraq) 23 ELECTED
13. Bassam Askhita (Syrian Arab Republic) 15 ELECTED
Iman Khamis (Qatar) 29*
Houda Hamdi (Tunisia) 22*
Kareman Baknam Sedki Abdel Aziaz (Egypt) 22*
Maisa Abdellatif (Sudan) 20*
Syeda Naqvi (United Arab Emirates) 18*
Heba Ahmed (Egypt) 17*
Aljazi Alaradah (Kuwait) 14*
Mohammad Sohail (United Arab Emirates) 11
Hussein Kawaz (Iraq) 9
Zafar Khan (United Arab Emirates) 5

*To avoid large shares of Committee memberships being taken up by individuals from only one country or group of countries, a system of national caps is in place for the Regional Division Committees. In the Middle East and North Africa Region, there is a maximum of one Regional Division Committee members from any one country. As such, the second highest-scoring candidate from any one country will not be elected. Learn more on Country Caps (p.33).

Summary of voting

Number of voting codes issued: 83
Number of voting codes used: 50
Turnout: 60.24%

North America Regional Division Committee

Name Number of votes
1. Clara Chu (United States of America) 248 ELECTED
2. Joseph Hafner (Canada) 227 ELECTED
3. Evviva Weinraub Lajoie (United States of America) 222 ELECTED
4. Mary-Jo Romaniuk (Canada) 219 ELECTED
5. Camille Callison (Canada) 206 ELECTED
6. Karen Downing (United States of America) 197 ELECTED
7. Sara Benson (United States of America) 195 ELECTED
8. Pilar Martinez (Canada) 195 ELECTED
9. Mark Mattson (United States of America) 192 ELECTED
10. Kirsten Wurmann (Canada) 183 ELECTED
11. Katherine Klosek (United States of America) 177 ELECTED
12. Andrea Cecchetto (Canada) 175 ELECTED
13. Lisa Radha Vohra (Canada) 173 ELECTED
14. Johanna Smith (Canada) 169 ELECTED
15. Kristina Grooms (United States of America) 164 ELECTED
16. Jennifer Schofield (Canada) 163 ELECTED
17. Katya Pereyaslavska (Canada) 157 ELECTED
18. Emily Drabinski (United States of America) 154 ELECTED
19. Ann Okerson (United States of America) 109 ELECTED
Jame Neal (United States of America) 135 (Withdraw)
20. Corinthia Price (United States of America) 134 ELECTED
Ryan Moniz (Canada) 140*
Jeffrey Wilhite (United States of America) 84
Neyda Gilman (United States of America) 67
Martha Kyrillidou (United States of America) 63
Ibrahim Mohamed (United States of America) 56
Tammy Westergard (United States of America) 45
Courtney Block (United States of America) 39
Bella Gerlich (United States of America) 38
Matthias Willerson (United States of America) 37
Roger Russell (United States of America) 24
Joe Mocnik (United States of America) 21

*To avoid large shares of Committee memberships being taken up by individuals from only one country or group of countries, a system of national caps is in place for the Regional Division Committees. In the North American region, there is a maximum of ten Regional Division Committee members from any one country. As such, the eleventh highest-scoring candidate from any one country will not be elected. Learn more on Country Caps (p.33).

Summary of voting

Number of voting codes issued: 453
Number of voting codes used: 210
Turnout: 46.36%

Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Division Committee

Name Number of votes
1. Ntombikayise Nomsa Mathabela (Eswatini) 76 ELECTED
2. Namutenya Hamwaalwa (Namibia) 71 ELECTED
3. Buhle Mbambo-Thata (Lesotho) 68 ELECTED
4. Monica Mensah Danquah (Ghana) 62 ELECTED
5. Allan Mudenda Hagwelele (Zambia) 59 ELECTED
6. Caroline Ilako (Uganda) 57 ELECTED
7. Siviwe Feketshane (South Africa) 56 ELECTED
8. Lilian Mmapula Letshabo (Botswana) 55 ELECTED
9. Ogou-Gara Richard Seglo (Benin) 51 ELECTED
10. Kwame Kodua-Ntim (Ghana) 50 ELECTED
11. Nthabiseng Kotsokoane (South Africa) 49 ELECTED
12. Melba Sitwala (Namibia) 48 ELECTED
13. Nerisa Jepkorir Kamar (Kenya) 46 ELECTED
14. Purity Kavuri (Kenya) 46 ELECTED
15. Berthilde Uwamwezi (Rwanda) 45 ELECTED
16. Jerry Mathema (Zimbabwe) 43 ELECTED
17. Victoria Okojie (Nigeria) 43 ELECTED
18. Kenneth Abong (Uganda) 39 ELECTED
19. Gilbert Niyomugabo (Rwanda) 38 ELECTED
20. Juliana Manyerere (United Republic of Tanzania) 30 ELECTED
Anna (Petro) Coreejes-Brink (South Africa) 45*
Bongiwe Mbongwa (South Africa) 44*
Marlene Holmner (South Africa) 42*
Kholofelo Kholofelo (South Africa) 42*
Maropene Ramabina (South Africa) 42*
Fredrika Johannes (Namibia) 37*
Lindani Sikhakhane (South Africa) 34*
Alice Isoka (Kenya) 27*
Philomena Mwirigi (Kenya) 27*
Adaora Obuezie (Nigeria) 20*
Ajibola Oyeniyi (Nigeria) 11*
Antony Odira (Kenya) 2*
Patrick Agwu (Nigeria) 25
Tahirou Amadou (Niger) 18

*To avoid large shares of Committee memberships being taken up by individuals from only one country or group of countries, a system of national caps is in place for the Regional Division Committees. In the Sub-Saharan Africa region, there is a maximum of two Regional Division Committee members from any one country. As such, the third highest-scoring candidate from any one country will not be elected. Learn more on Country Caps (p.33).

Summary of voting

Number of voting codes issued: 101
Number of voting codes used: 53
Turnout: 52.48%