International agreement on cocoa

XXI. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE SECOND COMMITTEE
2210. International agreement on cocoa

The General Assembly, Recalling annex A.II.1 of the Final Act of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,[1] in which the objectives, principles and scope of commodity arrangements are set out, Recalling further its resolution 2085 (XX) of 20 December 1965, and particularly paragraph 7 thereof, inviting the Trade and Development Board to accord particular attention in the execution of its work programme to the problems of trade in primary commodities which require most urgent action, Recognizing that commodity arrangements serve to secure over-all stabilization in primary commodity markets, Stressing the special role which these arrangements play in stimulating the economic development of the developing countries, Noting that negotiations for an international price stabilization scheme for cocoa have been in progress for the past ten years, culminating in the United Nations Cocoa Conference held under the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development from 23 May to 23 June 1966, Having studied the report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development on the results of the Cocoa Conference[2] and the statement he made in the Second Committee on 9 December 1966[3] on the results of the multilateral consultations on cocoa which took place in New York from 29 November to 7 December 1966, Noting the joint declaration submitted by the developing countries members of the Trade and Development Board at its fourth session,[4] Convinced that the conclusion of an international agreement on cocoa will clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in finding practical solutions to the problems of trade and development of the developing countries, Conscious of the desire of the international community to see a fair and equitable solution of the problems prevailing in the international cocoa market, Recognizing that the present stage of negotiations calls for a greater demonstration of political will by all concerned,

1. Expresses deep disappointment at the failure of the 1966 United Nations Cocoa Conference to conclude a cocoa agreement;

2. Deplores the breakdown of the multilateral consultations on cocoa held in New York from 29 November to 7 December 1966;

3. Affirms the need for reaching an international cocoa agreement at an early date and in any case not later than the beginning of the 1967-1968 cocoa season;

4. Requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to approach the Governments concerned with a view to resuming the multilateral consultations on cocoa at an early date;

5. Calls upon all concerned in the consultations, particularly the major consumer countries, to do their utmost to arrive at an agreement on all outstanding matters;

6. Urges Governments to ensure that representatives to these consultations have sufficient political mandate to facilitate agreement on the various matters at issue;

7. Urges further that these consultations should he completed as soon as possible so that there may be an early resumption of the Cocoa Conference with a view to concluding an agreement which will answer the needs of the developing countries.

1497th plenary meeting,
17 December 1966.

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[1] Ibid., annex A.II.1, p. 26. [2]2 Official Records of the Trade and Development Board, Fourth Session, Annexes, agenda item 9, document TD/B/81. [3] Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-first Session, Annexes, agenda item 37, document A/6567/Add.1, annex. [4] Ibid., Twenty-first Session, Supplement No. 15 (A/6315/ Rev.1), part two, annex B.