Geneva - World Trade Organization (WTO) members sought on Monday to forge agreements on food security to ease strained supply and sharply higher prices with India, Egypt and Sri Lanka withholding support.

The 164-member trade body is seeking to reach two agreements at a major meeting of trade ministers this week in Geneva on steps to alleviate a food crisis that threatens the least developed and most vulnerable countries in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

WTO aims at a declaration from members countries to keep markets open, not restrict exports and be more transparent. Member are also required to make a binding decision not to curb exports to the World Food Programme (WFP), which seeks to fight hunger in places hit by conflicts, disasters and climate change.

The International Monetary Fund has said that about 30 countries have restricted exports of food, energy and other commodities, including India with wheat.

WTO members expressed broad support for both texts, with the exception of Egypt, India and Sri Lanka, a WTO spokesperson told a news conference. Previously hesitant Tanzania decided to endorse the texts, the spokesperson added.

Egypt and Sri Lanka, both net food importers, want recognition that their ability to export food might be limited.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development called on WTO members earlier on Monday to refrain from imposing restrictions on exports of essential foodstuffs to vulnerable countries and the WFP.

The situation is particularly acute in Africa, which in 2020 imported about 80% of its food and 92% of its grains.
-Reuters