Statement by Governments

All countries present at the final intergovernmental plenary session held in Johannesburg, South Africa in April 2008 welcome the work of the IAASTD and the uniqueness of this  independent  multistakeholder  and  multidisciplinary process, and the scale of the challenge of covering a broad range of complex issues. The governments present recognize that the Global and Sub-Global Reports are the conclusions of studies by a wide range of scientific authors, experts and development specialists and while presenting an overall con­sensus on the importance of agricultural knowledge, science and technology for development also provide a diversity of views on some issues.

     All countries see these reports as a valuable and im­portant contribution to our understanding on agricultural knowledge, science and technology for development recog­nizing the need to further deepen our understanding of the challenges ahead. This assessment is a constructive initiative and important contribution that all governments need to take forward to ensure that agricultural knowledge, science

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and technology fulfills its potential to meet the development and sustainability goals of the reduction of hunger and poverty, the improvement of rural livelihoods and human health, and facilitating equitable, socially, environmentally and economically sustainable development.

     In accordance with the above statement, the following governments accept the North America and Europe (NAE) Report.

Armenia, Finland, France, Ireland, Republic of Moldova, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain (10 countries).

While approving the above statement the following gov­ernments did not fully accept the North America and Europe (NAE) Report and their reservations are entered in Annex G.

Canada and United States of America (2 countries).