WTO members have exchanged two new negotiating submissions on food and agriculture as efforts intensify to reach a compromise ahead of the 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon, scheduled for March. The submissions, presented by Indonesia and the African Group, were discussed during a meeting of the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session on 30 January, alongside proposals circulated in December.
The Chair of the agriculture negotiating body, Ambassador Ali Sarfraz Hussain of Pakistan, stressed the urgency of accelerating progress to produce a workable draft text for ministers to consider at MC14. While no agreement was reached, members expressed a shared desire to deliver a text that could form the basis for meaningful ministerial deliberations later in March.
The new submissions were framed as attempts to bridge differences and reflect extensive consultations among members. Indonesia presented a draft ministerial decision focused on strengthening food security and resilience within the multilateral trading system, reaffirming the importance of special and differential treatment for developing countries and outlining a roadmap for post-MC14 negotiations on key agricultural issues.
The African Group’s submission sought to capture areas of possible convergence by incorporating elements drawn from proposals submitted by other members. It outlined specific directions on several unresolved issues in the agriculture talks, aiming to contribute to a potential compromise text that could command broader support.
Alongside the main negotiations, dedicated discussions were also held on public stockholding programmes for food security and on a special safeguard mechanism that developing economies could use to respond to sudden import surges or price declines. These topics remain central to the concerns of many developing members.
Members offered initial reactions, noting that the submissions had been referred to capitals for further consideration. Many emphasized the importance of a results-oriented outcome at MC14, while cautioning against either limiting ministers to symbolic declarations or asking them to endorse highly detailed commitments without sufficient convergence at the technical level.
Several delegations underlined the need to balance realistic expectations for MC14 with long-term negotiating objectives. While some supported the idea of a declaration outlining core principles on trade, agriculture and food security, others warned that excessive specificity could be difficult given persistent divergences among members.
The Chair encouraged members to continue engaging constructively to narrow differences and build consensus, reiterating his readiness to facilitate dialogue where needed. He noted that progress ultimately depends on members’ willingness to compromise and indicated that the next meeting of the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session is provisionally scheduled for 27 February.
