Statement by Governments on Executive Summary

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-Synthesis 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 they 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 and technology fulfils 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 approve the Executive Summary of the Syn­thesis Report.

     Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, People's Republic of China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Repub­lic of Congo, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Ghana, Honduras, India, Iran, Ireland, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Maldives, Republic of Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Repub­lic of Palau, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Solomon Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Republic of Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom of Great Britain, Uruguay, Viet Nam, Zambia (58 countries).

     While approving the above statement the following governments did not fully approve the Executive Summary of the Synthesis Report and their reservations are entered in the Annex to the Executive Summary.

     Australia, Canada, United States of America (3 countries).