The G77 and economic diplomacy : challenges and prospects for Africa's food security

Developing countries demonstrated their collective commitment to address their common economic problems through the formation of the Group of 77 (G77). The coalition has attempted to use its caucus to influence the reform of major international  trade  and  investment  policies  through  the  United  Nations  (UN)  fora. Two of such successes were the adoption of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA). These instruments seek to improve Africa’s poverty and food insecurity by making the international market  accessible  to  African  farmers  and  prevent  dumping  of  developed countries’ agricultural commodities through phasing out high subsidies. Yet, to adopt a legal instrument at the UN level is one thing, but to implement it by states is another. These and other agro-trade initiatives have grossly failed to benefit the  African  rural  farmers  and  combat  chronic  hunger.  Against  this  backdrop,   it is logical to conclude that the G77 has failed to transform its lofty ideal into  practice.  In  summary,  while  this  bloc  of  nations  has  previously  managed  to   maintain some degree of solidarity along essential socio-economic issues, the existence  of  its  internal  differences  remain  worrying  for  the  advancement  of   Africa’s food security agenda