COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE
WORKING GROUP ON TRADE, DEBT AND FINANCE

1.1.  At the General Council on 23 May 2024, the Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture (CoA) reported on the Food Security Work Programme pursuant to paragraph 8 of the MC12 Declaration on Food Insecurity (_G/AG/38). Under the section "findings and recommendations", paragraph 3.2 (i), I would like to highlight to Members of the Working Group the following text:

The Committee [on Agriculture] draws the attention of the WTO Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance (WGTDF) to the discussions held under the work programme on the theme of 'financing for food imports' reported in section 2 of this report, and requests it to undertake, in line with its mandate, a targeted examination of specific concerns raised by LDCs and NFIDCs in relation to the financing of food imports, and in particular challenges associated in doing so during periods of food instability and emergencies. The WGTDF should share its report and findings with the Committee as soon as practicable.

1.2.  The Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture has also mentioned the WGTDF during his oral report to the General Council. This was followed up with a letter addressed to the Chairperson of the Working Group on Trade, Debt and Finance, making the following points:

In November 2022, the Committee [on Agriculture] approved the thematic contours of the Work Programme as outlined in _G/AG/35. 'Financing of food imports' was identified as one of the four key thematic areas for dedicated examination under the Work Programme. Following detailed thematic deliberations over several months in a dedicated Working Group set up for this purpose, the Committee at its special meeting on 17 April 2024 adopted the report, along with findings and recommendations, of the Working Groups contained in _G/AG/38. This represents an important accomplishment for the Committee. Import financing challenges encountered by governments of LDCs and NFIDCs were a significant focus throughout the Work Programme's duration, as recorded in the CoA's final report and recommendations. Members' written submissions made under the work programme including on financing, are referred to in annex 1 of the report. As part of the agreed recommendations, the Committee has requested the WGTDF to undertake, in line with its mandate, a targeted examination of specific concerns raised by LDCs and NFIDCs in relation to the financing of food imports and, in particular, challenges associated in doing so during periods of food instability and emergencies, as outlined in section 2 of the Report. The Committee has also requested the WGTDF to share its report and findings on these matters with the Committee as soon as practicable. I would like to request you to kindly bring this matter to the attention of the WGTDF, based on the report and recommendations of the work programme adopted by the CoA.

1.3.  A convening notice for a meeting of the WGTDF to be held in July 2024 will be issued, for the Working Group to consider this request. In this context, I invite Members to submit to the Chairperson or the Secretariat, no later than 27 June, any other agenda item that they wish to be considered by the Working Group during this upcoming meeting, including on "reform-by-doing", which the WGTDF has not yet had a chance to discuss. The convening notice will follow the new format used by other bodies of the WTO.

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