1. Opening of the Conference
The Director-General opened the Conference and delivered a welcoming speech.

2. Election of Conference Officers
The Conference elected a Chairperson, 3 vice-chairperson from among the delegates.

3. Adoption of Agenda
The Conference adopted its Agenda.

4. Consideration of the draft Plan of Action for SIDS as a follow-up to the World Food Summit.
The Plan of Action of the World Food Summit sets out specific conditions and needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Commitment III refers to particular needs and improvements to increase their food security (Basis for Action, para. 28), especially in terms of environmental threats to fisheries and marine resources (Objective 3.2 (d), para. 33). Commitment VI draws attention to the specificity of investment needs for achieving sustainable development in SIDS (Basis for Action, para. 51).

The Twenty-ninth Session of the FAO Conference (7-18 November 1997) further stressed the need to recognize the particular constraints of SIDS and invited the Organization to consider the possibility of organizing an international conference on agriculture in SIDS, as part of the World Food Summit follow-up (paragraphs 45 and 53, C97/REP).

In response to the above calls, and as a continuation of its efforts to assist SIDS in developing their capacities in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, the Conference set its objective to develop a mission-specific plan of action as a follow-up to the World Food Summit.

For this Special Ministerial Conference, the Organization prepared three background documents on three major themes: trade diversification; intensification of agriculture; and natural resource management and environment conservation. The findings of these documents are incorporated in a draft Plan of Action for SIDS, consisting of programmes/projects with necessary funding mechanisms for the sustainable agricultural development of SIDS. Delegates are invited to approve the Plan of Action.

In addition to the three background documents whose findings are already incorporated in the draft Plan of Action, main conclusions and/or recommendations of sectoral discussions on SIDS by the Committee on Agriculture, Committee on Commodity Problems, Committee on Forestry, and Committee on Fisheries concluded by the time of the Conference will be available to the Conference.

5. Other matters

TIMETABLE

MORNING (9.30 - 12.30 hrs)     FIRST SESSION

1. Opening of the Conference
2. Election of Conference Officers
3. Adoption of Agenda
4. Consideration of Draft Plan of Action

AFTERNOON (14.00 - 16.00 hrs)     SECOND SESSION

4. Consideration of Draft Plan of Action (cont'd)
5. Other Matters
6. Adoption of Ministerial Declaration
7. Closure of Conference