WTO: Most G-33 nations including India push for permanent solution on food security issues

The G-33 members expressed regret over serious lack of progress in agriculture trade negotiations (Reuters file image)

Majority of G-33 nations, which is a coalition of developing countries in the World Trade Organization (WTO), urged all members of the WTO to agree and adopt a permanent solution on the issue of public stockholding for food security purposes.

"The vast majority of the G-33 Members recognised the critical importance of public stockholding for food security purposes for developing country members, including least developed countries (LDCs) and net food-importing developing countries (NFIDCs), in meeting food and livelihood security, as well as rural development imperative, including supporting low income or resource poor producers," according to a ministerial statement on Agriculture Trade Negotiations released on February 25.

A number of countries have formed coalitions in the WTO. These groups often speak with one voice using a single coordinator or negotiating team. These are some of the most active groups in the WTO.

The G-33 also called “Friends of Special Products”, is one such coalition of developing countries pressing for flexibility to undertake limited market opening in agriculture. India, China and Indonesia are part of this group that comprises 47 countries.

The G-33 members also expressed regret over serious lack of progress in agriculture trade negotiations, including to fulfil the outstanding mandates of previous ministerial conferences.

India, infact, plans to refuse discussions on issues related to agriculture at the ministerial-level meeting of the WTO unless a permanent solution is found on the matter of public stockholding for food security.

While some WTO members have raised concerns over the country's Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme on key agricultural products, as well as the recent export restrictions on commodities such as rice, India maintains that the country has to protect the interest of the poor and vulnerable farmers, besides taking care of its domestic food security needs.

The G-33 also reiterated the right of developing country members to the Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) as an important instrument against major import surges or sudden price declines, and urge members to agree and adopt a decision on SSM by the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference.

"We stand ready to consider the submission by the African Group on the issue of SSM, which covers most of the interests of developing country members in a fair and balanced manner," the statement said, adding that WTO and its agreements, must preserve special and differential treatment for developing nations and non-trade concerns of members must be taken into account in agriculture trade negotiations.

The WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) will take place from February 26 to 29, 2024, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Ministers from across the world will attend to review the functioning of the multilateral trading system and to take action on the future work of the WTO. The conference will be chaired by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE's minister of state for foreign trade.