Incorporate Food Aid In Doha Talks

GENEVA - May 9/05 - SNS -- Food aid needs to be recognized as an important element of in international trade and should be supported as countries try to reform tariff and non-tariff barriers facing the movement of agricultural products on world markets, says the Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), James Morris.

Addressing WTO representatives from Africa and the least developed countries, Morris stressed the importance of strengthening the nutritional impact of food aid for those who needed it, while at the same time minimizing any commercial distortion caused by food aid on international and local markets.

Morris expressed his concern that discussions in the WTO Doha Round about "disciplines" on food aid could lead to a further dwindling of such aid, which had already plummeted by nearly 30% -- from 10.3 million tons to 7.5 million tons in the past year alone, according to figures issued by WFP last week.

"The simple truth is that food aid commitments and deliveries are nose-diving while WTO is discussing their discipline. Please remember that simple fact and that the world's hungry children are paying the price," Morris said.

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