Trade ministers and officials from developing countries in the G-33 bloc on Monday urged members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to approve a G- 33 proposal concerning agriculture and food security at the WTO's upcoming 9th Ministerial Conference.

"This proposal is important considering the volatility of world food prices, which is continuously increasing," said Indonesian trade minister Gita Wirjawan after a G-33 meeting held prior to the ministerial conference, slated from Dec. 3 to 6 in the famous tourist destination.

At the meeting, the G-33 agreed on the reform of the agricultural sector and the finalization of the Doha Development Agenda, including reducing trade barriers which decrease productivity and competitiveness of millions of farmers in developing countries, according to the trade minister.

The G-33 has also expressed disappointment about the trade talk impasse that occurred in Geneva and called for the WTO members to find a solution to it during the ministerial meeting.

"We will discuss efforts to enhance food security, eradicate poverty, and develop underdeveloped regions in developing countries," said the minister.

Gita stated that to push forward reform in the agricultural sector, the G-33 has emphasized the necessity of an agreement on Special Products and Special Safeguards Mechanism, which could help developing countries calculate their development needs.

The four-day ministerial meeting is expected to seal a package of global trade agreements that would mainly cover trade facilitation, development and agriculture, in a push to revive the long-stalled Doha Round trade talk.

The G-33 meeting highlighted the importance of the 9th Ministerial Conference in strengthening the role of the WTO as an international organization to ensure a healthy and fair multilateral trade system that provides certainty to the global economy. Endi

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