The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a major branch of
the United Nations, Thursday appealed for freer world trade,
especially of agricultural products.
"Agricultural growth and greater trade prospects have the
potential to contribute significantly to improving food security
and promoting wider economic growth in poor countries," FAO
Assistant Director-General Hartwig de Haen said in a statement to
the ongoing ministerial conference of the World Trade
Organization.
During the week-long meeting of the international trade regime's
top decision-making body, major developed countries and developing
countries were quarreling over agricultural subsidies and market
access.
"Freer global agricultural trade regime could lead to increased
prices for agricultural commodities that are presently highly
protected, including basic foodstuffs," the statement quoted Haen
as saying, indicating that will benefit developing countries.
However, the UN agency called for "safety nets" to protect
"vulnerable groups" from trade related shocks and to "allow the
poor to take advantage of the economic opportunities".
(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2005)