5. In accordance with Rule VII-1 of the General Rules of the Organization (GRO), the Council agreed to put the following nominations before the Conference:
Chairman of the Conference : Malik Abdul Majid (Pakistan)
Chairman of Commission I : Waleed A. Elkhereiji (Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of)
Chairman of Commission II : Hans Jorgen Kristensen (Denmark)
Chairman of Commission III : Samuel. Fernandez Illanes (Chile)
6. In accordance with Rule XXIV-5(b) GRO, the Council elected the following 11 Member Nations to the Nominations Committee:
|
Bangladesh Canada Cuba Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
Guatemala Japan Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Spain |
Sudan Tunisia Turkey |
Report of the Fifty-eighth Session of the Committee on Commodity Problems (Rome, 15 - 19 July 1991)
2
7. The Council endorsed the Report of the Fifty-eighth Session of the Committee on Commodity Problems. It expressed appreciation for the valuable work being undertaken by the Committee and its subsidiary bodies.
8. The Council expressed concern with the deterioration in the agricultural trade situation and, particularly, with the continuing decline in the real export prices of agricultural commodities during the past year, a situation that especially affected many developing countries. The Council also noted with concern that the short-term outlook for trade and world prices of many agricultural commodities, particularly those of principal export interest to developing countries, would remain unfavourable.
9. The Council endorsed the work of the Intergovernmental Commodity Groups (IGGs), as well as the work of the Consultative Sub-Committee on Surplus Disposal and stressed their continued usefulness in providing fora for producer/consumer consultations and in enhancing market transparency, in identifying and analysing problems and in seeking solutions.
10. Regarding policy issues considered by the Intergovernmental Group on Bananas, a number of members of banana-exporting countries stressed the importance of free access to their traditional markets and expressed apprehension about the possible impact of a Single European Market as from 1 January 1993, especially in view of the way in which phytosanitary measures were being applied. In this connection, the Council noted the statement of the observer of the European Community (EC), speaking on behalf of the EC member states, that in considering proposals for bananas, the Community would take account of all interests at stake in accordance with the declaration of broad objectives and principles of cooperation which had been made at the Eleventh Session of the Intergovernmental Group held in Guayaquil, Ecuador in 1989.
11. Concerning the deliberations of the Committee and the Intergovernmental Group on Oilseeds, Oils and Fats, a large number of members recalled the strong and continuing opposition voiced by many countries to the rebalancing proposal made by the EC at the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations (MTNs) because of their perception that this proposal would introduce a high level of protection for EC oilseeds and cereal substitutes. They noted that the EC Council of Ministers had not yet pronounced itself on a reported modified proposal to exclude the oilseeds sector from rebalancing, and that consequently the original proposal was still on the table. They repeated their request for the total withdrawal of the proposal. The Council noted the statement of the observer of the EC, speaking on behalf of the EC Member States, that the EC Council of Ministers was currently considering proposals by the EC Commission to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including the oilseeds sector. As to the rebalancing proposal in the Uruguay Round, he explained that the Commission, as the Community's negotiator during the Ministerial Meeting in December 1990, had indicated areas where flexibility might be possible within a global and balanced solution, and that this offer was still valid.
12. Regarding the Consultative Sub-Committee on Surplus Disposal, the Council, while supporting the Principles of Surplus Disposal, noted that, there might be a need to review the procedures for the notification and consultation on food aid transactions, as well as the procedures for establishing the Usual Market Requirements in the light of the outcome of the Uruguay Round of MTNs and new perspectives on food aid.
13. The Council welcomed the designation in February 1991 of eight IGGs in addition to the Sub-Group on Hides and Skins and the Sub-Committee on Fish Trade as International Commodity Bodies by the Common Fund for Commodities. It considered that this development provided an opportunity for FAO to make a significant contribution to improving the competitive position in the agricultural trade of the developing countries and to strengthening sustainable agricultural development. The Council noted with appreciation that the first project proposal on bananas had been formally submitted to the Executive Board of the Fund and that it was under evaluation. Additional projects for other commodities would be finalized in the near future.
14. The Council stressed the importance of FAO undertaking regular reviews of the medium- and longer-term outlook for both agricultural commodities and the agricultural sector as a whole. It welcomed the disclosure that a new set of agricultural commodity projections to the year 2000 would be available in 1992 and that the forthcoming assessment of world agriculture, that would update Agriculture Towards 2000 and that would be presented to the Twenty-seventh Session of the FAO Conference in 1993, would offer projections to the year 2010.
15. The Council noted that while there had been numerous overtures in the recent past towards a greater market orientation of agriculture, overall there were still high levels of agricultural protection of domestic markets in many agricultural commodities and it regretted the growth in agricultural protectionism in the past decade. In this connection, the Council emphasized the need for a successful and rapid conclusion to the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations. The Council urged FAO to continue its support for the Uruguay Round and for the provision of technical and other assistance to interested participating countries, including that regarding sanitary and phytosanitary issues through the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the International Plant Protection Convention. It was thought that it was necessary to introduce serious and deep reforms in international agricultural trade, so that this trade would become wider and. more balanced.
16. In this connection, the Council noted that the Codex Alimentarius standards were based on scientific evidence, which offered guarantees that due consideration would be given to such concerns as those regarding health without creating trade distortions. The Council also recognized that a number of developing countries would need assistance to meet Codex standards and urged FAO to expand its role in this field.
17. The Council appreciated the analysis carried out by the Committee on the Single European Market. Several members stressed the need for careful monitoring of developments in the Single Market by the Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP) and for extensive consultation on the Single Market process, particularly on the harmonization of standards. The Council welcomed the assurance given by the observer of the EC to provide the CCP with information on the Single Market process and to schedule consultations with interested countries.
18. The Council reviewed the progress made in preparation for the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN). It was informed that the ICN would be held in December 1992 in Rome and would be preceded by a preparatory committee meeting in August 1992 in Geneva.
19. The Council expressed its high expectations for the ICN to promote nutritional well-being in all countries. It expressed appreciation for the excellent collaboration between FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO), in cooperation with other international organizations in preparing for the ICN. It strongly supported the preparatory activities under way, and emphasized the importance of thorough country-level preparations for the ICN, particularly for the developing countries. A number of members reported on their activities in preparing country papers and in staging national seminars, through the application of a multidisciplinary approach involving a wide range of concerned government ministries, non governmental organizations and industry. The council welcomed the planned
regional and sub-regional meetings to consider nutrition problems and actions in preparation for the global Conference. The Council stressed the usefulness of this process in ensuring effective participation in the ICN preparations and in the follow-up to the action-oriented strategies to be adopted by the ICN.
20. Several members provided details on assistance being given to developing countries and to FAO/WHO in preparing for the ICN. This assistance included support for country-paper preparation, national seminar preparation, travel to regional meetings and provision of technical assistance to FAO and WHO. The Council expressed its appreciation for the contributions already made and hoped that considerable additional assistance would be provided to support the travel of developing country delegations to regional meetings, the preparatory committee meeting and the ICN.
Developments regarding the Tropical Forests Action Programme (TFAP)
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21. The Council recalled that at its Ninety-ninth Session (10-21 June 1991), it had considered developments for revamping the TFAP. While supporting many of the proposals for renewal of the programme, the Council had been unable to arrive at a conclusion regarding a proposal to establish a new international consultative mechanism. The Council had agreed that the mechanism could be a useful forum for providing broad strategic advice, but requested that a contact group be set up to clarify further issues related principally to the terms of reference, composition, nature of responsibilities of the mechanism relative to FAO's mandate, role in mobilizing funds, and mode of operations.
22. The Council noted that FAO, the other co-sponsors, the World Bank and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Government of France, had convened a contact group meeting in Paris, France on 13 and 14 September 1991. The report of that meeting was presented to the Council.5
23. The Council noted that the contact group had agreed on a revised definition of the functions of the mechanism, which could be called a Consultative Forum (CF) but due to limited time, had been unable to discuss the other issues before it. Three options for the next steps were put forward for the Council's consideration, viz:
(a) a further meeting along the lines of the Paris consultation;
(b) immediate creation of the CF on the basis of functions agreed upon at Paris, with the remaining issues to be resolved by the forum itself;
(c) setting up an ad hoc group to deal with the unresolved issues.
24. The Council reiterated its commitment to the TFAP as a process based on partnership among the tropical countries, donors, the co-sponsors and other organizations. The Council decided to establish an Ad Hoc Groups
on the TFAP under Article VI, paragraph 5 of the Constitution. Building on the agreements already reached on the revamping of the TFAP, the Group would carry out the following tasks:
(a) work out solutions for unresolved institutional issues;
(b) identify priority areas for strengthening the contribution of TFAP to sustainable forest management.
25. Membership would be open to any tropical or donor country participating in the TFAP process. The tropical and donor countries would select their own participants. The other TFAP co-sponsors would be invited to participate fully in all aspects of the Group's work. The Group would decide on the participation and on the status of participation in its work of the interested intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and of the Chairman of the TFAP Forestry Advisers Group. The Secretariat informed the Council that the Director-General would provide a Multidisciplinary Support Group to assist the work of the Ad Hoc Group. Efforts would be made to keep costs to a minimum.
26. The first session of the Ad Hoc Group would be held in Rome on the occasion of the forthcoming session of the Committee on Forest Development in the Tropics and thereafter, the Group would establish its own calendar. In view of the urgency expressed, the Council asked the Group to report to the Programme Committee at its session in May 1992.
27. The Council stressed that the establishment of the Ad Hoc Group was a transitional measure towards the eventual creation by all TFAP partners of an appropriate consultative mechanism. The Council appreciated that its decisions governed only FAO's participation in the revamping process and expressed the hope that all co-sponsors would continue to participate fully in this process with a view to strengthening the TFAP.
28. Some members regretted that the Mediterranean countries did not have a programme similar to the TFAP and, while thanking the FAO for the efforts already made, expressed the wish that the Mediterranean Forestry Action Plan be finalized rapidly.
Progress Report on FAO's Contribution to the Preparations for UNCED
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29. The Council was informed of the important contributions made by FAO to the preparation of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), particularly the substantive proposals formulated for a Plan of Action ("Agenda 21"). It noted the good working relations established between the organization and the UNCED Secretariat throughout the preparation process.
30. The Council agreed to refer the progress report to the forthcoming Conference for consideration under Item 7 (FAO Activities Related to Environment and Sustainable Development) of the provisional agenda.
1C 91/12; CL 100/PV/1; CL 100/PV/2; CL 100/PV/3; CL 100/PV/6.
2CL 100/6; CL 100/PV/4; CL 100/PV/6.
3C 91/27; CL 100/PV/4; CL 100/PV/6.
4CL 100/2; CL 100/PV/4; CL 100/PV/5.
5CL 100/2.
6CL 100/7; CL 100/PV/5; CL 100/PV/6.
