The 149 countries of the World Trade Organization have approved a compromise agreement that they say will boost free trade and eventually eliminate farm export subsidies.
The agreement was announced Sunday in Hong Kong after six days of negotiations.
It eliminates farm export subsidies by 2013. Poorer countries say those subsidies make it harder for poor farmers to sell their crops in the global marketplace.
Critics of the agreement say it does not require wealthy countries to do enough to help the poor.
As the trade ministers concluded their business, protesters who have been demonstrating in the streets of Hong Kong conducted a final march. VOA's correspondent in Hong Kong reported no serious clashes Sunday between the marchers and police.
Information for this report is provided for AP, AFP and Reuters.
