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RESULTS OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE
ON "ATTAINING THE WORLD FOOD SUMMIT'S OBJECTIVES THROUGH
A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY"
(Rome, 29 November - 2 December 1998)
Resolution adopted without a vote by the Inter-Parliamentary
Council at its 164th session (Brussels, 16 April 1999)
The Inter-Parliamentary Council,
Having taken note of the results of the Inter-Parliamentary
Conference on "Attaining the World Food Summit's objectives
through a sustainable development strategy", which was organised
by IPU with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO) and hosted by the Italian Parliament
in Rome from 29 November - 2 December 1998,
Recalling that at its 161st session (Cairo, September 1997)
the Inter-Parliamentary Council decided to organise a Specialised
Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Rome with the aim of reviewing
and promoting, at parliamentary level, the implementation of commitments
made by the States at the World Food Summit (Rome, November 1996),
Satisfied that the relations of close collaboration and
interaction between IPU and FAO were further strengthened in the
course of the Conference preparation, thus attesting to the efficiency
of the Co-operation Agreement signed between the two Organisations
in August 1997,
Believing that the reflection and dialogue started at the
Parliamentarians' Day on the occasion of the World Food Summit
and continued during the Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Rome
should be further pursued by IPU, taking into account the multidimensional
nature of food security issues,
- Commends the results of the Specialised Inter-Parliamentary
Conference in Rome which fully achieved its aims, as is reflected
in its Final Document adopted by consensus at the closing session;
- Thanks the Italian Inter-Parliamentary Group and the
Italian authorities for their warm welcome to the delegates and
for the excellent working conditions on the premises of the Italian
Chamber of Deputies where the Conference deliberated on the first
day of its work;
- Expresses gratitude to FAO which hosted the second
part of the Conference proceedings and contributed to the success
of the Conference in many other ways;
- Thanks the Conference participants, observers and keynote
speakers for their efforts to ensure that the Conference was conducted
in a constructive and fruitful atmosphere;
- Calls on all National Groups to see to it that
the results of the Conference are given proper attention by their
respective parliaments and governments, particularly the parliamentary
bodies dealing with issues of food and agricultural development,
and that the greatest publicity is provided to the Conference
recommendations by disseminating them to media, special interest
groups and relevant non-governmental organizations;
- Endorses the content of the Conference Final Document,
and urges national Parliaments to make full use of it with
a view to playing a more proactive role in the implementation
of State commitments made at the World Food Summit;
- Encourages all National Groups to give practical follow-up
to the Conference recommendation that parliaments should harmonise
existing laws and, as appropriate, adopt new legislation so as
to develop a comprehensive legislative framework conducive to
the achievement of food security for all;
- Mandates the IPU Committee for Sustainable Development
to consider food security as an integral part of its work and
to prepare reports and statements on specific issues relating
to food security for the attention of the United Nations system;
- Requests the IPU Committee for Sustainable Development
to elaborate proposals on ways of further advancing institutional
links between IPU and FAO including the holding of joint events
and activities;
- Supports the idea that IPU should work with the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and FAO on normative
aspects of the right to food, and entrusts the IPU Secretary
General with taking practical steps in this regard;
- Entrusts the IPU Secretary General with exploring possibilities
for co-operation with the World Trade Organization, the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development on trade and financial issues relating
to food security.
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