Cameroon’s Trade Minister Calls for Agricultural Boost to Tackle Food Security

On 27 June 2024, Cameroon’s Trade Minister, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, urged a “Marshall Plan” to boost agricultural development in Africa. He spoke at the WTO’s 9th Aid for Trade Review in Geneva, addressing food security and trade.

The Minister emphasized the urgent need to double current agricultural production to meet global food demands by 2050. He called on WTO member states to show greater commitment and political will to address food insecurity, which affects everyone.

Mbarga Atangana argued that true multilateralism is futile if developing countries lack the means to participate in international trade and ensure food security. He stressed that promoting development through trade, rather than trade as an end in itself, should be the primary goal.

The Minister also invoked the words of former French President Jacques Chirac, urging the international community not to let the world “burn” by ignoring the food crisis. He called for immediate actions to save humanity from various threats, including political, social, and environmental issues.

Looking ahead, the trade minister, Mbarga Atangana expressed hope that the upcoming 14th WTO Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé will mark a significant step forward. He envisions it as a starting point for achieving the WTO’s primary objectives: promoting development through transparent and predictable agricultural market rules, ensuring global food security, and safeguarding humanity from all kinds of dangers.

Read Also: WTO Director General Meets with Cameroon’s Trade Minister

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Source: Celcom Mincommerce