WTO & UN Food and Agriculture Organization announce enhanced cooperation on trade and food security

 The Dollar Business Bureau Three days after all the World Trade Organisation (WTO) members agreed for a separate discussion on the role they envision for rules in the post-Bali work programme on May 4, 2015, WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo met with the Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), José Graziano da Silva, in Geneva on April 17, to step up collaborative efforts on the issue of trade and food security, as well as other issues. Roberto Azevêdo said: “Food security is closely linked to trade and therefore it is an important element of our work at the WTO. I am delighted that we will now be able to enhance our work on this crucial issue which affects so many people, through an even closer partnership with the FAO.” As part of this work, the WTO will be taking part in the preparatory work on the FAO's flagship publication, the State of Agricultural Commodity Markets, which this year will focus on trade and food security. The FAO and WTO chiefs discussed how the report could provide evidence and greater clarity on a range of issues related to trade and food security. The FAO will also hold a symposium on food security at the WTO on June 5, 2015. Considering the important role of open and strengthened food markets in supporting food security objectives, the two directors-general discussed how trade and the multilateral trading system could help in creating a more favourable global environment for food security and sustainable agriculture. “I am deeply engaged in continuing to develop our joint work with WTO as food security and trade can play together a very important role to help fulfil FAO's mandate", said Graziano da Silva.” They also discussed the current state of play in the Doha Round agriculture negotiations and the renewed efforts that the governments are making towards a successful outcome. The Doha Round negotiations on rules relate to the Anti-dumping Agreement; the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and, in this context, WTO disciplines on fisheries subsidies; and WTO provisions applying to regional trade agreements.    

This article was published on April 18, 2015 – 5:53 pm IST.