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Food Security
Update October 7, 1996 |
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Committee on World Food Security Advances Negotiation on Summit Documents
The 22nd Session of the FAO Committee on World Food Security (CFS) was held in Rome on September 23 - 30, 1996. Initially scheduled for September 23 - 27, 1996, the CFS was extended for two days, September 28 and 30, and preceded by two days of informal "bracket eliminating" negotiation on September 20 - 21. Participation was by delegations from 123 member countries of the CFS and observers from 9 countries that are not members of the CFS, 13 United Nations specialized agencies, 7 intergovernmental agencies, and 41 non-governmental organizations.
The meeting made considerable progress in producing a consensus draft Plan of Action on World Food Security. The Rome Declaration (Policy Statement) remains heavily bracketed, despite apparent consensus on many of the bracketed issues elsewhere in the Plan of Action. Remaining brackets are concentrated in the trade and follow-up commitments; however, there also are limited but significant issues remaining in Commitment One (democracy, human rights, good governance). Two significant and still unresolved issues dealt with primarily in the Declaration (right to food, embargoes) were discussed very little because the Declaration was only negotiated briefly at the end of the CFS. A decision as to when the CFS will reconvene to finish its work on the Policy Statement and Plan of Action should be made soon.
During the meeting, the U.S. delegation held daily briefings for American NGO's present for the CFS. Approximately a dozen people participated in the meetings. The American NGO's were also invited to designate two representatives to attend daily U.S. delegation meetings.
Public Briefing to Be Held October 17, 1996
A public briefing on the September 23-27, 1996 FAO Committee on World Food Security (CFS) meeting in Rome will be held October 17 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in Room 107A of the Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the meeting is for members of the U.S. delegation to the CFS to brief the public, and receive comments and suggestions with respect to Summit preparations.
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