Page395
DECISION ONMEASURES CONCERNING
THE POSSIBLE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OFTHE
REFORM PROGRAMME ONLEAST-DEVELOPED AND
NET FOOD-IMPORTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
1. Ministers recognize thattheprogressive implementation oftheresults oftheUruguay Round
asawhole willgenerate increasing opportunities fortradeexpansion andeconomic growth tothebenefit
ofallparticipants.
2. Ministers recognize thatduring thereform programme leading togreater liberalization oftrade
inagriculture least-developed andnetfood-importing developing countries mayexperience negative
effects interms oftheavailability ofadequate supplies ofbasic foodstuffs from external sources on
reasonabletermsandconditions,includingshort-termdifficultiesinfinancingnormallevelsofcommercial
imports ofbasic foodstuffs.
3. Ministersaccordinglyagreetoestablishappropriatemechanismstoensurethattheimplementation
oftheresults oftheUruguay Round ontrade inagriculture doesnotadversely affect theavailability
offoodaidatalevelwhich issufficient tocontinue toprovide assistance inmeeting thefoodneeds
ofdeveloping countries, especially least-developed andnetfood-importing developing countries. To
thisendMinisters agree:
(i) toreview theleveloffoodaidestablished periodically bytheCommittee onFood Aid
under theFood AidConvention 1986 andtoinitiate negotiations intheappropriate
forum toestablish aleveloffoodaidcommitments sufficient tomeetthelegitimate
needs ofdeveloping countries during thereform programme;
(ii) toadoptguidelinestoensurethatanincreasingproportionofbasicfoodstuffsisprovided
toleast-developedandnetfood-importingdevelopingcountriesinfullygrantformand/or
onappropriate concessional terms inlinewith Article IVoftheFood Aid
Convention 1986;
(iii) togivefullconsideration inthecontext oftheiraidprogrammes torequests forthe
provision oftechnical andfinancial assistance toleast-developed andnetfood-importing
developing countries toimprove theiragricultural productivity andinfrastructure.
4. Ministers further agree toensure thatanyagreement relating toagricultural export credits makes
appropriate provision fordifferential treatment infavour ofleast-developed andnetfood-importing
developing countries.
5. Ministers recognize thatasaresult oftheUruguay Round certain developing countries may
experience short-term difficulties infinancing normal levels ofcommercial imports andthatthese
countries maybeeligible todrawontheresources ofinternational financial institutions under existing
facilities, orsuchfacilities asmaybeestablished, inthecontext ofadjustment programmes, inorder
toaddress suchfinancing difficulties. Inthisregard Ministers takenoteofparagraph 37ofthereport
oftheDirector-General totheCONTRACTING PARTIES toGATT 1947 onhisconsultations withthe
Managing Director oftheInternational Monetary Fund andthePresident oftheWorld Bank
(MTN.GNG/NG14/W/35).
6. Theprovisions ofthisDecision willbesubject toregular review bytheMinisterial Conference,
andthefollow-up tothisDecision shallbemonitored, asappropriate, bytheCommittee onAgriculture.