. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/AG/NG/W/151
4 April 2001
(01-1687)
Committee on Agriculture
Special SessionOriginal:  English
SEVENTH SPECIAL SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
26-28 MARCH 2001
Statement by Grenada on behalf of CARICOM
On behalf of the group of CARICOM countries, let me thank you for your sterling guidance
of the negotiations in this first stage.  We also wish to thank the Secretariat for its support throughout,
and in particular for the technical working papers submitted - which CARICOM members have found
to be of immense value.  We should also like to thank the Members that have submitted proposals and
to thank all Members for the time and attention that they took in analyzing the proposals of others.
CARICOM countries are particularly mindful of the immense efforts that it must have taken
by developing countries and in particular small developing countries with limited resources to
participate in this first phase of the negotiations, and to have done this so effectively.
CARICOM is committed to the negotiations mandated in Article 20 of the Agreement on
Agriculture; we share in the commitment of Members enshrined in Article 20, for SDT and non-trade
concerns, among other areas as being central to our charge.  We re-emphasize that this must be based
on the principles of fairness and equity.
CARICOM enjoins other Members in drawing attention to the adjustment imperatives of
small developing countries that continue to be dependant on trading preferences.  CARICOMcountries are committed to the principles of continuous reform of the global trading system for
agriculture.  We are convinced that this can only be accomplished by the equitable treatment of
measures in all three pillars of the Agreement.  We  have listened intently to the statements of some
other Members, which suggest the need for a more comprehensive understanding of measures that
affect trade.  We are eager to engage to see more concrete work undertaken in stage II on a number ofissues and subject areas critical to the direction of the negotiations.  CARICOM has previously issued
calls for such work to be undertaken on:  (a) preferential trading arrangements; (b) non-trade
concerns, and (c) domestic supports, among others.
As small developing economies, CARICOM countries maintain ambitious expectations
regarding the negotiations, many of which are contained in our negotiating proposal.  We are pleased
that other Members share in our ambition, we look forward to working with them in advancing these
proposals in stage II.
Our negotiating strategy has been framed by the aspirations of our peoples, all our peoples.
Our effective participation in the negotiations continues to rest delicately on the acceptance of SDT as
a fundamental guiding principle of the negotiations.  We must all work to preserve the integrity and
standing of the SDT principle.
There is an old Chinese proverb which when translated says "May you always live in
interesting times".  These interes ting times in which we live challenge us to do more than we have in
the past, so we must do more to make SDT both effective and meaningful for developing countriesand small developing economies.  Defining the group of small developing economies and ensuringG/AG/NG/W/151
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that SDT is targeted and delivered to those genuinely in need of such concessions and flexibility
remains an important outstanding item of unfinished business on out negotiating agenda.
As Net-Food Importing Developing Countries (NFIDC's), CARICOM countries have among
the most open markets in the world, but we must in turn ensure that debilitating NTB's are not erectedagainst the exports from CARICOM countries.  We must make it more difficult in the next phase for
countries to maintain these measures, or institute new ones.
While recognizing the progress made in the first stage of the negotiations and as well the need
for substantial progress under stage II, we must ALL do our utmost to ensure that we continue to
balance the need for substantial progress in the negotiations with the participation of small developing
countries, possessing more limited negotiating capital to engage in negotiations at the same pace asmore developed countries.
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