. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/AG/20 
15 July 2005 
 (05-3192) 
Committee on Agriculture  
  
PROPOSAL BY THE AFRICAN GROUP IN  THE CONTEXT OF THE REVIEW OF 
ALL SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TR EATMENT PROVISIONS BY THE 
COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELO PMENT IN SPECIAL SESSION 
 
Report to the General Council  
 
The report is submitted under the responsibility of the Chairman, Dr. Magdi Farahat, as 
agreed by the Committee at its  meeting on 2 June 2005. 
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1. The present report concerns the Committee's c onsideration of a proposal by the African 
Group in the framework of  the Decision on Measu res Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of 
the Reform Programme on Least-Developed and Net Food-Importing Developing Countries.  The 
proposal states as follows:  
 "It is understood, in the context of the Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible 
Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least-Developed and Net Food-Importing Developing Countries and of the Ministerial Decision on Implementation Issues and Related 
Concerns, that developed country Members sha ll embody in their schedules of commitments 
undertakings on contributions to a revolving fund for normal levels of food imports, 
providing food aid in fully grant form, and main taining food aid levels  consistently with 
recommendations and rules under the Food Aid Convention" (TN/CTD/W/3/Rev.2, paragraph 52). 
2. The above proposal was referred to the Committe e on Agriculture by the General Council, on 
the understanding and direction that all WTO bodies to which specific Category II proposals had been referred to, "expeditiously complete the consider ation of these proposals and report to the General 
Council, with clear recommendations for a decision,  as soon as possible and no later than July 2005" 
(paragraph 1.d of WT/L/579, Decision adopted  by the General Council on 1 August 2004). 
3. In light of its earlier and inconclusive discussion of the proposal
1, the Committee agreed, at its  
meeting on 23 September 2004, to revert to this matter on the basis of the recommendation contained 
in the Committee's report to the General Counc il on Implementation-Related Issues (G/AG/16): 
"... that, building on the work already undertaken, including the WTO roundtable of 19 May 
2003, the Committee will continue to explore, as a matter of priority and on the basis of 
proposals submitted by Members, options and solutions within the framework of the 
Marrakesh NFIDC Decision to address short-term difficulties of LDCs and WTO NFIDCs in financing commercial imports of basic foods tuffs" (paragraph 19(c) of G/AG/16 refers). 
                                                     
 
1The proposal was first discussed at the June 2003  meeting at the request of the Chairman of the 
General Council (Committee reports to the Gene ral Council G/AG/17 and Corr.1 refer).    G/AG/20 
Page 2  
 
 4. It was noted at the time by the Chairman that the above recommendation inviting new or 
modified proposals from Members should provide a way forward for addr essing the underlying 
concerns regarding short-term financing difficulti es within the framework of the Marrakesh Decision 
on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Programme on Least-Developed and Net Food-Importing Deve loping Countries, while recognizing that the proposal of the 
African Group contained other elements that we re related to food aid (paragraphs 61-65 of 
G/AG/R/40 refer).  
5. The proposal of the African Group was also on the agenda of the subsequent Committee 
meetings in November 2004, Marc h 2005 and June 2005.  In addition,  the Chairman held informal 
consultations with interested delegations on this matter in Ma y 2005.  During the consultations, 
Kenya indicated that the African Group was prep aring a follow-up proposal.  A number of donor 
Members signalled their readiness to engage in discu ssions once the proposal had been submitted.     
There is a common understanding in the Committee that any follow-up proposal submitted by the 
African Group will be examined expeditiously by the Committee.   
 
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