UAE: G-33 members discuss agriculture trade negotiations on sidelines of WTO Ministerial Conference

Abu Dhabi [UAE], February 25 : The ministers and the representatives of the G-33 members met on the sidelines of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE and appreciated the conference for reinforcing a rules-based, non-discriminatory and transparent multilateral trading system.
The leaders met on the sidelines to exchange views on the state of play of the WTO agriculture trade negotiations, and to deliberate the Group's priorities on the outcome and the way forward.
The delegates recognized the collective responsibility of all WTO Members to address contemporary challenges facing the multilateral trading system.
According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the statement was being circulated at the request of the delegation of Indonesia on behalf of the G-33.
"We believe the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference provides an important opportunity to reinforce a rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable, and transparent multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, and thank the United Arab Emirates for hosting the Conference," the G-33 ministerial statement read.
The members called on all WTO Members to engage constructively to achieve a meaningful outcome on agriculture at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference.
They also expressed concern about the fact that almost 600 million people will be chronically undernourished in 2030, and hunger will increase significantly in Africa by 2030, as recently projected by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the statement read.
The members expressed regret for the "serious lack of progress" in agriculture trade negotiations, including in fulfilling the outstanding mandates of previous Ministerial Conferences, adding that progress is key to restoring trust between Members and preserving the credibility of the WTO.
The vast majority of the G-33 Members recognize the critical importance of public stockholding for food security purposes for developing country members, including LDCs and NFIDCs, in meeting our food and livelihood security, as well as our rural development imperative, including supporting low-income or resource-poor producers, the statement read.
"The G-33 co-sponsoring Members of the Proposal JOB/AG/229, therefore, urge all Members to make all concerted efforts to agree and adopt a permanent solution on the issue. The G-33 co-sponsoring Members reiterate the importance of the Proposal JOB/AG/229 submitted with the African Group and the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group, and invite other Members to engage constructively with the elements contained therein, as a basis to achieve the outcome on public stockholding for food security purposes in the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference," it added.
The representatives reiterated developing country members' right to the Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) as an important instrument against major import surges or sudden price declines. They also urged the members to agree and adopt a decision on SSM by the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference.
They also expressed their stand to consider the submission by the African Group on the issue of the Special Safeguard Mechanism, which covers most of the interests of developing country Members in a fair and balanced manner and engages in enhanced technical discussions.
The representatives affirmed commitment to moving forward agriculture trade negotiations in good faith, including after the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference, with a view to correct the imbalances in the Agreement on Agriculture and address unparalleled food security challenges of developing country Members, including LDCs and NFIDCs.
They also "strongly maintained" that Special and Differential Treatment for developing country members, including LDCs and NFIDCs, must be preserved in the WTO and its agreements, and non-trade concerns of Members must always be taken into account in agriculture trade negotiations, the ministerial statement read.