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Meeting to build up public opinion on impact of WTO pacts

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: A two-day stakeholders' consultation on World Trade Organisation (WTO) policies, which began in New Delhi on Thursday, will concentrate on building up public opinion on the impact of WTO agreements and strengthen people's network against the fallout of WTO on the availability, affordability and quality of food for all.

The consultation has been organised by the Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultants' Society (CECOEDECON) -- a Rajasthan-based non-Government organisation -- and the Food, Trade and Nutrition Coalition-Asia in the wake of suspension of the Doha Development Round of WTO negotiations and completion of ten years of the World Food Summit.

Representatives of civil society organisations from India and South Asian and South-East Asian countries are participating in the event.

CECOEDECON secretary Sharad Joshi said the regional issues such as the post-Sixth WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Conference development, deadlock on developing modalities on agriculture, and people's mobilisation in Asia would also be discussed during the consultation.

The two-day meeting will explore the ways for strengthening advocacy and lobbying on food, nutrition, trade and health issues with the policy makers. CECOEDECON and FTN Coalition-Asia are engaged on these issues with the International Planning Committee, which has a consultative status with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Indian participants in the event are drawn from the Centre for Environment Concerns, Hyderabad; Voluntary Action Network India, New Delhi; and Public Advocacy Initiatives for Rights and Values in India, New Delhi.

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