International Wheat Council
Encyclopedia
The International Wheat Council (IWC) is an international organization
established on March 23, 1949 at the initiative of the U.S.
government for the purpose of egalitarian distribution of wheat to countries in a state of emergency. It was part of the Point Four Program
announced by US President Harry S. Truman
on January 20, 1949 to improve the economic situation of poor countries. Among the members of the IWC are the Republic of Ireland
(since 1951), Israel
(since 1949), West Germany (since 1951) and Japan (since 1951).
During March–April 1949, the agreement was signed by 41 various governments.
The agreement was ratified by the US Senate on June 13 and by the President on June 17, 1949. The Belgian government deposited its instrument of ratification on June 17, 1949. The agreement enteren into effect on July 1, 1949.
On July 6, 1949, the IWC held its first session, and chose London
as its permanent headquarters.
A new Grains Trade Convention was concluded in 1995, as the name of the International Wheat Council was changed to International Grains Council.
, Argentina
, Australia
, Canada
, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba
, Egypt
, European Union
, India
, Iran
, Japan
, Kazakhstan
, Kenya
, South Korea
, Morocco
, Norway
, Pakistan
, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia
, South Africa
, Switzerland
, Tunisia
, Turkey
, Ukraine
, United States
and Vatican City State.
International organization
An intergovernmental organization, sometimes rendered as an international governmental organization and both abbreviated as IGO, is an organization composed primarily of sovereign states , or of other intergovernmental organizations...
established on March 23, 1949 at the initiative of the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government for the purpose of egalitarian distribution of wheat to countries in a state of emergency. It was part of the Point Four Program
Point Four Program
The Point Four Program was a technical assistance program for "developing countries" announced by United States President Harry S. Truman in his inaugural address on January 20, 1949...
announced by US President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
on January 20, 1949 to improve the economic situation of poor countries. Among the members of the IWC are the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
(since 1951), Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
(since 1949), West Germany (since 1951) and Japan (since 1951).
Background
The idea of sharing the wheat in the world in the manner that will lead to distribution of wheat from countries having surpluses to countries suffering from shortages was raised already during the economic crisis in the early 1930s. On August 21–25, 1933, a special international conference to that effect took place in London. It was attended by the representatives of Germany, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Spain, USA, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Romania, UK, Sweden, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. The Final act of the conference established a Wheat Advisory Committee, which purposes were defined in the preamble as
"to adjust the supply of wheat to effective world demand and eliminate the abnormal surpluses which have been depressing the wheat market and to bring about a rise and stabilisation of prices at a level remunerative to the farmers and fair to the consumers of breadstuffs".
Establishment of the IWC
Following the Second World War, it was required to renew the wheat supply to the devastated countries, as well as to new and independent states. An international conference on even distribution of wheat worldwide was held in Washington DC from January 26 to March 23, 1949, leading to the conclusion of an agreement on the establishment of IWC. The agreement stated in Article 1 as its objectives:
"to assure supplies of wheat to importing countries and markets for wheat to exporting countries at equitable and stable prices".
During March–April 1949, the agreement was signed by 41 various governments.
The agreement was ratified by the US Senate on June 13 and by the President on June 17, 1949. The Belgian government deposited its instrument of ratification on June 17, 1949. The agreement enteren into effect on July 1, 1949.
On July 6, 1949, the IWC held its first session, and chose London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as its permanent headquarters.
Subsequent developments
Additional agreements on wheat export were concluded in 1953, 1956, 1959 and 1962. In 1967 a new agreement was signed that included also the first Food Aid Convention, by which the members of the IWC pledged to convey an annual food supply to developing countries.A new Grains Trade Convention was concluded in 1995, as the name of the International Wheat Council was changed to International Grains Council.
Council membership
As of July 2011, the members of the International Grains Council are: AlgeriaAlgeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Vatican City State.