What is G-33?

Feb. 26, 2024

Ahead of the 13th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), a majority of the G-33 countries have called for a permanent solution to public stockholding for food security.

About G-33:

  • The G33 (or the Friends of Special Products in Agriculture) is a coalition of developing and least-developed countries.
  • Despite the name, there are currently 47 member nations. Some of the main countries include India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Philippines, Turkey, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Korea.
  • It was established prior to the 2003 Cancun ministerial conference that was coordinated during the Doha Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations, specifically in regard to agriculture.
  • Dominated by India, the group has "defensive" concerns regarding agriculture in relation to WTO negotiations, and seeks to limit the degree of market opening required of developing countries. 
  • The group has advocated the creation of a "special products" exemption, which would allow developing countries to exempt certain products from tariff exemptions, and also a "special safeguard mechanism" which would permit tariff increases in response to import surges.

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