CFS:2004/5-Sup.2

G-77
Informal Document
16/Sep/2004

PROPOSAL¹

Decision to be adopted under Agenda Item IV.b - “Arrangements for the special forum foreseen in the World Food Summit Plan of Action”

1. To convene, as foreseen in Objective 7.3 of the Plan of Action of the World Food Summit (1996), a Special Forum, within the 32^nd Session of the Committee on Food Security, in 2006, to undertake a major broad-based progress assessment of the implementation of the World Food Summit Plan of Action and a mid-term review of achieving the target of reducing by half the number of undernourished people no later than 2015. This Special Forum should involve active participation from governments, relevant international organizations and actors of civil society.

2. On the discussion of this theme during the 31^st Period of Sessions (2005), the CFS should act as a preparatory forum and should assess the agenda, the method of work, the criteria for participation, the goals and the follow-up to the Special Forum of 2006, including the possibility of establishing a future forum of dialogue, consultation and understanding. The representatives of civil society shall be invited to the afore-mentioned discussion, in accordance with criteria to be established by the CFS. They shall be invited to participate and to present initiatives or suggestions and make interventions, on an exceptional basis, at any time during the debate. In accordance with governing methods, only State Members will be able to take decisions.

Proposed CFS criteria:

Every Regional Group should be entitled to indicate three international NGOs whose work is relevant to the mandate of the Committee in the implementation of the WFS Plan of Action, among organizations with formal relationship with ECOSOC or FAO, in accordance with:

1. ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 (Consultative relationship between the United Nation and Non-Governmental Organizations), Part. VII – “Participation of Non-Governmental Organizations in International Conferences convened by the United Nations and their Preparatory Process”;

2. FAO Policy Concerning Relations with International Non-Governmental Organizations, in implementation of provisions of the resolution on relationship with non-governmental organizations of the 5^th session of the Conference, as amended by Resolution No. 74/51 of the 6^th session of the Conference, Resolution No. 37/53 of the 7^th session and Resolution No. 39/57 of the 9^th session (FAO Basic Texts, 2000 edition).

For the work of CFS, the term NGO is understood to cover all forms of civil society or private sector organizations.

_______________________

¹ This document is a result of negotiations within the G-77 Working Group on the subject of item IV.b. It replaces all previously circulated versions of the proposal, including the document CFS:2004/5 Sup.1. The Working Group was chaired by the Chairman of the African Group.