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| FACT
SHEET: USDA’s Bilateral Committees |
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| January 2001 |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) participates in many bilateral committees with other countries. These committees are designed to strengthen agricultural ties. Working together on policy and technical issues, the bilateral committees foster cooperation at the highest levels. They provide a framework under which governments can openly discuss issues such as agribusiness, trade development, agricultural reform, and mutually beneficial cooperation.
U.S.-Angola Bilateral Consultative Commission (BCC).
To assist Angola in its efforts for economic, financial, and humanitarian reform, the State Department established the U.S.-Angola Bilateral Consultative Commission in September 1999. The objective of the BCC is to develop programs and projects within various U.S. government departments that will lead to improved bilateral relations between Angola and the United States and to identify ways to ease Angola’s transition to a more open economy, encourage positive donor response to humanitarian crisis, and facilitate the transition from emergency relief to economic development and growth.USDA is currently assessing the role of U.S. agriculture under the BCC umbrella, including a trade mission and an assessment of the viability of credit guarantees in the country.
U.S.-Argentina Consultative Committee on Agriculture (CCA). On May 19, 1998, the United States and Argentina established a Consultative Committee on Agriculture.
The U.S.-Argentina CCA provides a framework for discussions and cooperation on: agriculture trade and market access; agricultural marketing, regulation, and safety of food products; development of positions before international standards-setting bodies; and agricultural research and technical exchange.Three working groups were established:
1) Agricultural Trade Policy;
2)
Technical, Sanitary, and Phytosanitary; and
3) Marketing of Agricultural Products.
U.S.-Canada Consultative Committee on Agriculture.
On Dec. 4, 1998, the United States and Canada signed a Record of Understanding (ROU) to discuss and resolve key issues in bilateral agricultural trade, to reduce trade tensions, and to increase trade between Canada and the United States. In accordance with the ROU, a U.S.-Canada Consultative Committee on Agriculture was established to address issues related to trade in livestock, grain, horticulture, and pesticide products.U.S.-Chile Consultative Committee on Agriculture.
The U.S.-Chile Consultative Committee on Agriculture was established to provide a forum to facilitate discussion and cooperation and strengthen bilateral relations between the United States and Chile. The terms of reference were signed on Dec. 5, 1997, to encourage cooperation on agricultural matters such as: sanitary and phytosanitary issues; collaboration in international standards-setting bodies; agricultural marketing, regulation, and food safety; and agricultural trade and market access. The U.S.-Chile CCA has three working groups: 1) Agricultural Trade Policy; 2) Technical, Sanitary, and Phytosanitary; and 3) Marketing of Agricultural Products.U.S.-Ghana Consultative Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (CCARD).
The U.S.-Ghana Consultative Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development was established in June 2000 to strength-en agricultural and rural development relations between the United States and Ghana and to facilitate discussion on issues of mutual interest.The CCARD has three working groups:
1) Market
Access;
2) Natural Resources Management; and
3) Institutional, Human Resources, and Rural
Development.
At the first meeting of the CCARD in November 2000 in Accra, Ghana, working groups from USDA and the Ghanaian Ministry of Food and Agriculture signed terms of reference and identified areas for pilot program implementation.
U.S.-Nigeria Joint Economic Partnership Commission (JEPC). The U.S.-Nigeria Joint Economic Partnership Commission was established in July 1999 to focus on four main areas:
1) Support and
assist the Nigerian government in carrying out economic and structural reform of
its economy, including privatization, sectoral policy reforms, anti-corruption
mechanisms, and strengthening the investment environment;
2) Deepen the U.S. commercial engagement;
3) Create a forum for the exchange of ideas between U.S. and
Nigerian officials on structural reform and expanding bilateral trade and
investment; and
4) Increase Nigeria’s understanding about the limited
American resources available to accelerate the country’s integration into the
global economy.
The committee is co-chaired by the U.S. Department of State’s Under Secretary for Economics and Agriculture and Nigeria’s Chief Presidential Economic Advisor. Eight U.S. government agencies participate in the JEPC (USDA, State, Commerce, Treasury, Transportation, Energy, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and Justice). USDA and Nigeria have developed a group of technical assistance and training activities to address specific agricultural concerns of Nigeria’s.
The areas identified for assistance include:
1)
agribusiness entrepreneurial and extension development;
2) improving soil information;
3) strengthening rural financial institutions;
4) enhanced levels of micronutrients in corn-,
sorghum-, and soybean-based diets;
5) agricultural market information assessment;
and
6) training on sanitary and phytosanitary international
standards-setting bodies and the trade policy implications of their work.
In September 2000, USAID and USDA signed an interagency agreement in the amount of $1.5 million to fund these project activities. In December 2000, that figure was increased by $700,000 for a total of $2.2 million.
U.S.-South Africa Binational Commission (Agriculture Committee)
. The United States and South Africa established the U.S.-South Africa Binational Commission in March 1995 to facilitate bilateral cooperation at the highest levels of government on key issues. Agriculture is one of eight committees formed under the auspices of the Commission. The Agriculture Committee’s goal is to strengthen bilateral relations between the United States and South Africa on agricultural and rural development issues of mutual interest. There are four working groups:
1) Agricultural Technology for Income Generation;
2) Market Access and Regulatory
Programs;
3) Small- and Medium-Sized Agricultural Business Development;
and
4) Sustainable Natural Re-sources Utilization.
In February 1999, USAID agreed to provide $2.6 million for 15 projects under the Agriculture Committee in areas such as food safety, biotechnology, a village bank, agribusiness/extension development, rural cooperatives, agricultural statistics, and risk management.
U.S.-Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Forum. The U.S. Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Forum was established in 1997. It is chaired by the U.S. Secretary of State and the Secretary General of the SADC. The SADC forum is a mechanism to convey the benefits of sound agricultural trade polices and practices in the context of discussing mutual long-term growth and cooperation. SADC goals are to promote mutually beneficial economic integration and cross-border investment and trade, as well as the freer movement of goods and services within the region. The original SADC protocol calls for the establishment of a free trade area by 2004. SADC membership currently stands at 14 countries: Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. USDA has played a major role in structuring the U.S.-SADC agenda in agriculture with emphasis on support of a mutual expanded agricultural trade agenda. Specifically, U.S. technical assistance to SADC countries has been provided to support the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) implementation in the region.
Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). The Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) was established in 1981 (as the Preferential Trade Area of Eastern and South-ern Africa States) to improve commercial and economic cooperation and to transform the structure of production of national economies in the region. It is geared toward promoting regional trade and creating institutional mechanisms for facilitating trade. Although no formal U.S. forum has been established, COMESA has consistently invited USDA participation in its major meet-ings. Emphasis has been on providing information on the role of COMESA countries in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Member states of the COMESA are: Angola, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
For more information about USDA Agricultural Bilateral Committees, contact:
Special
Trade and Development Staff
Foreign Agricultural Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Ag Stop 1081
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20250-1081
Tel: (202) 690-0787
Fax: (202) 720-7779
General information about FAS programs, resources, and services is available on the Internet at the FAS home page: http://www.fas.usda.gov
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To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. |
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