. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/AG/GEN/13 
6 March 2006 
 (06-0951) 
Committee on Agriculture 
Special Session Original:  English 
 
 
 
JOINT SUBMISSION BY THE AFRICAN AND LDC GROUPS ON FOOD AID 
Communication by the African and LDC Groups on Food Aid  
 Introduction 
It is underscored that food insecure countries and countries susceptible to natural disasters including 
drought and famine, and floods  still need food aid.  In recognition of  this fact, Ministers reaffirmed, in 
the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration, their “… commitment to maintain an adequate level [of food 
aid] and to take into account the interests of food aid reci pient countries.  To this end, a "safe box" for 
bona fide food aid will be provided to ensure that th ere is no unintended impedi ment to dealing with 
emergency situations.  Beyond that, we will ensure e limination of commercial displacement.  To this 
end, we will agree effective disciplines on in-kind fo od aid, monetisation and re-exports so that there 
can be no loop-hole for continuing export subsidisation.”  
Any disciplines on food aid should not have the effect of hindering the delivery of food aid to needy 
countries and communities. It is therefore important to have commitment by cooperating  partners in 
the context of the Food Aid Convention  to make food aid available at all times.  In proposing these 
disciplines, the African and least developed countries, while being among the beneficiaries of the aid, wish to ensure that food aid does not, advertently or inadvertently, abet dumping of food or encourage commercial displacement in recipient countries. 
This submission is without prejudice to the outcome of discussions on food aid nor the positions that 
would be advanced in the course of negotiati ons, and any other mandate including the mandate 
contained in the Marrakesh Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the 
Reform Programme on Least Developed an d Net- Food Importing Developing Countries.
 
The following is therefore proposed: 
1. Emergency Food Aid 
 
1.1 The “Safe Box” will be used for emergency food aid and shall not be subject to any 
disciplines.   
1.2 The “Safe Box” shall include food aid that meets the following criteria: 
 
i) Is provided in response to emergency situa tions as defined by a relevant UN agency; 
 ii) Is based on declaration of an emergency subject  to what is mentione d in paragraph 1.3;  
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  iii) Is based on independent assessments of ge nuine food needs of people in immediate 
distress; 
 iv) Is provided in adequate quantities for as long as the emergency lasts. 
 
1.3 A declaration of an emergency situation and assess ment of genuine food needs of people in 
immediate distress as mentioned above can only be done by a recipient country authority concerned, whether local, regional or central government in collabora tion with a relevant 
international humanitarian assistance body, or by a relevant international humanitarian 
assistance body in collaboration with the r ecipient country authority concerned.  
 
1.4 A notification will be required on an ex-post b asis by donors and the relevant international 
humanitarian assistance bodies, in or der to ensure transparency. 
 
2 Non-emergency Food Aid 
 
2.1 Non-emergency food aid includes all food aid th at does not fall under the Safe Box category.  
In order to ensure that it does not displace comme rcial trade and does not adversely affect local 
production, non-emergency food aid shall be  subject to the following disciplines: 
  i) shall be demand driven; 
 
ii) shall be provided in fully grant form; 
 
iii) shall not be tied either directly or indirec tly to commercial exports of goods or services 
to the recipient country; 
 
iv) shall take fully into account local market  conditions of the same or substitute 
commodities and, as much as possible, be sour ced locally, sub-regionally or regionally; 
 
v) shall be aimed at addressing developmenta l objectives, including through targeted 
delivery to well-identified vulnerable popula tion groups to address specific nutritional 
needs; 
 
vi) shall not be contingent on advancing ma rket development objectives of the donor 
country; 
 
vii) may be monetised, under exceptional circumstanc es, to fund activities that are directly 
related to the delivery of the food aid to, or facilitating procurement of agriculture 
inputs, where necessary by the final recipients.  Monetisation should only be carried out under the auspices of a UN agency and the reci pient governmental authority, to ensure 
that there is minimal risk of commerci al displacement and disincentive to local 
production; 
 
viii) There shall be no re-exportation of food aid . 
 
2.2     Transparency shall be paramount in any food aid operation.  Therefore, all non-emergency food aid shall be subject to monitoring, notification a nd reporting requirements, both ex-ante and ex-post, 
ensuring full transparency and comp liance with the above disciplines. 
 
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