Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization
Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least-Developed and Net Food-Importing Developing Countries
1. Ministers recognize that the progressive implementation
of the results of the Uruguay Round as a whole will generate increasing
opportunities for trade expansion and economic growth to the benefit
of all participants.
2. Ministers recognize that during the reform programme
leading to greater liberalization of trade in agriculture least-developed
and net food-importing developing countries may experience negative
effects in terms of the availability of adequate supplies of basic
foodstuffs from external sources on reasonable terms and conditions,
including short-term difficulties in financing normal levels of
commercial imports of basic foodstuffs.
3. Ministers accordingly agree to establish appropriate
mechanisms to ensure that the implementation of the results of
the Uruguay Round on trade in agriculture does not adversely affect
the availability of food aid at a level which is sufficient to
continue to provide assistance in meeting the food needs of developing
countries, especially least-developed and net food-importing developing
countries. To this end Ministers agree:
(i) to review the level of food aid established periodically
by the Committee on Food Aid under the Food Aid Convention 1986
and to initiate negotiations in the appropriate forum to establish
a level of food aid commitments sufficient to meet the legitimate
needs of developing countries during the reform programme;
(ii) to adopt guidelines to ensure that an increasing proportion
of basic foodstuffs is provided to least-developed and net food-importing
developing countries in fully grant form and/or on appropriate
concessional terms in line with Article IV of the Food Aid Convention
1986;
(iii) to give full consideration in the context of their aid
programmes to requests for the provision of technical and financial
assistance to least-developed and net food-importing developing
countries to improve their agricultural productivity and infrastructure.
4. Ministers further agree to ensure that any agreement
relating to agricultural export credits makes appropriate provision
for differential treatment in favour of least-developed and net
food-importing developing countries.
5. Ministers recognize that as a result of the Uruguay
Round certain developing countries may experience short-term difficulties
in financing normal levels of commercial imports and that these
countries may be eligible to draw on the resources of international
financial institutions under existing facilities, or such facilities
as may be established, in the context of adjustment programmes,
in order to address such financing difficulties. In this regard
Ministers take note of paragraph 37 of the report of the Director-General
to the CONTRACTING PARTIES to GATT 1947 on his consultations with
the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and the
President of the World Bank (MTN.GNG/NG14/W/35).
6. The provisions of this Decision will be subject to regular
review by the Ministerial Conference, and the follow-up to this
Decision shall be monitored, as appropriate, by the Committee
on Agriculture.
Continue on to Decision on Notification of First Integration under
Article 2.6 of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing
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