nternational onomi r anisations ndia 16.9
Conference took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina (ii) As the future of the Doha Round appeared
(December 10-13, 2017). in doubt, India sought and succeeded in
Previous conferences: Nairobi (15-19 obtaining a re-affirmative Ministerial
December, 2015); Bali (3-6 December 2013); Decision on Public Stockholding for Food
Security Purposes honouring both the
Geneva (15-17 December 2011); Geneva (30
Bali Ministerial and General Council
November–2 December 2009); Hong Kong
Decisions. The decision commits
(13–18 December 2005); Cancun (10-14
members to engage constructively in
September 2003); Doha (9–13 November 2001); finding a permanent solution to this
Seattle (30 November – 3 December, 1999); issue.
Geneva (18–20 May 1998) and Singapore (9–13
(iii) A large group of developing countries
December 1996).
has long been seeking an SSM (Special
Safeguard Mechanism) for agricultural
naIroBI negotIatIonS & IndIa products. In order to ensure that this
The WTO held its 10th Ministerial Conference issue remains on the agenda of future
discussion in the WTO, India negotiated
in Nairobi, Kenya during 15–19 December 2015.
a Ministerial Decision which recognizes
This was the first such meeting to be hosted by an
that developing countries will have the
African nation. The outcomes of the Conference,
right to have recourse to an SSM as
referred to as the Nairobi Package, are as given envisaged in the mandate. Members will
below20: continue to negotiate the mechanism in
(i) The Nairobi Declaration reflects divergence dedicated sessions of the Committee on
amongst the WTO membership on Agriculture in Special Session.
the relevance of reaffirming the Doha (iv) It was also agreed to the elimination of
Development Agenda (DDA) as the basis agricultural export subsidies subject to the
of future negotiations. This was despite preservation of special and differential
the fact that India, along with many treatment for developing countries
other developing countries, from groups such as a longer phase-out period for
such as the G-33, LDCs, and the Africa transportation and marketing export
Group, wanted a reaffirmation of the subsidies for exporting agricultural
mandate of the Doha Round. While products. Developed countries have
reflecting that there are divergences, the committed to removing export subsidies
Ministerial Declaration also notes the immediately, except for a few agricultural
“strong commitment of all Members to products, and developing countries will
advance negotiations on the remaining do so by 2018.
Doha issues”. It records that WTO (v) Developing countries will keep the
work would maintain development at its flexibility to cover marketing and transport
centre. It also reaffirms that provisions subsidies for agriculture exports until the
for special and differential treatment shall end of 2023, and the LDCs and net food-
remain integral. importing developing countries would
have additional time to cut such export
20. Ministry of Finance, Economic Survey 2015–16 (New subsidies. The Ministerial Decision
Delhi: Government of India, 2016), Vol. 2, pp. 73–75.
contains disciplines to ensure that other