RESTRICTED  
  
WT/ACC/AFG/28  
 
27 June 2013  
(13-3356)  Page: 1/3  
Working Party on the Accession of  
the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan  Original: English  
 
ACCESSION OF AFGHANISTAN 
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND REPLIES 
 The following submission, dated 27 June 2013, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. 
 
_______________ WT/ACC/AFG/28 
 
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  Comments regarding WT/ACC/SPEC/A FG/2, dated 29 October 2012. 
Question 1 A Member appreciates the positive steps that  Afghanistan has taken with its domestic 
support tables.  This Member believes transp arency to be a fundamental element of the 
accession process.  We, therefore, have the following questions related to the domestic 
support tables that we hope will better in form both ourselves and all Members of 
Afghanistan's agricultural policies.   
This Member notes that Afghanistan is notify ing the "Contingency Fund for Purchase of 
Wheat" under "Paragraph 3:  Public stoc kholding for food security purposes."  
Expenditures under this entry account for a significant share of Afghanistan's support 
for two of the three years notified. 
- A Member would appreciate a detailed ex planation of how the "Contingency Fund 
for Purchase of Wheat" operates, includin g the reason for the decline in support. 
Answer: 
The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock (MAIL) conducts an annual survey of 
provinces of Afghanistan to identify shortages and surplus of wheat in each province.  A list of vulnerable provinces is then developed.   
A purchase plan is then developed for purchasing wheat from the provinces with the wheat surplus 
to satisfy needs of provinces with shortages.  Th e plan and required funds are subject to Cabinet 
approval which will then earmark necessary funds.  A line item in the state budget of Afghanistan 
was allocated for the Contingency Fund for Purchase of Wheat.   
Wheat is then purchased by the MAIL based on  market prices for farmers cooperatives and 
individual farmers.  Purchased wheat is stored in Strategic Grain Reserves facilities, e.g. silos and warehouses, for further distribution by the MAIL and the Afghanistan National Disaster 
Management Authority (ANDMA) in emergencies to the victims.  
There are two reasons for decline in support:  improved weather conditions with less drought and 
major donation of wheat from India, Kazakhstan, China and Russia to Afghanistan. 
Question 2 
This Member would also appreciate a detaile d explanation of how the notified support 
level for the programme is calculated. 
Answer: 
Please see the reply to previous questions.  The figure was taken directly from state budget of 
Afghanistan.  There was a special line in the budget (Contingency Fund for Purchase of Wheat).  
Question 3 
Can Afghanistan please confirm whether any of  the notified expenditures include funds 
from international donors, such  as the World Food Programme? 
Answer: 
There is no role for the World Food Programme or direct role of international donors in connection 
with the Contingency Fund for Wheat. 
The Contingency Fund is 100% funded by the State Budget of Afghanistan and operated by the 
Government of Afghanistan. WT/ACC/AFG/28 
 
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  It should be noted, however, that Afghanistan's state budget is partially funded by donors. 
Question 4 Does the programme operate in conjunction  with any international donor-funded 
programmes, such as those funded by the Wo rld Food Programme?  If  so, please explain 
in detail how the programmes are related. 
Answer: 
The programme is carried solely by Government of Afghanistan and no donor (including World 
Food Programme) is involved in the process.  
 
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