WTO Members Push for Agriculture Compromise Ahead of MC14 in Cameroon

Chair of the agriculture negotiating body, Ambassador Ali Sarfraz Hussain of Pakistan, warned that time is running short.

WTO members have intensified efforts to find common ground on food and agriculture negotiations, with two new compromise-focused submissions tabled ahead of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, scheduled for 26–29 March.

The submissions — one from Indonesia and another from the African Group — were discussed at a meeting of the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session on 30 January, alongside earlier proposals circulated in December.

Chair of the agriculture negotiating body, Ambassador Ali Sarfraz Hussain of Pakistan, warned that time is running short.

“I cannot overemphasize the urgency of making rapid progress if we are to finalize a workable draft text on agriculture for ministerial consideration at MC14,” he said.

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Ministers Need a Text to Deliberate

While no formal conclusions were reached, delegates expressed a shared desire to deliver a compromise text for ministers to consider in Yaoundé — a key objective after agriculture failed to reach consensus at the previous WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi in 2024.

Agriculture remains one of the most politically sensitive and unresolved areas in WTO negotiations, central to debates on food security, development, and trade fairness.

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Indonesia Proposes Food Security–Focused Ministerial Decision

Indonesia introduced a draft ministerial decision on promoting food security and resilience within the multilateral trading system.

Key elements of Indonesia’s proposal include:

• Reaffirming special and differential treatment for developing countries

• A post-MC14 roadmap on food security instruments

• Addressing the development dimension of domestic support, including cotton

• Tackling potentially trade-distortive agricultural support

• Strengthening transparency and monitoring of agricultural markets

Indonesia said the proposal reflects extensive member discussions and aims to offer a balanced framework for advancing negotiations after MC14.

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African Group Tables Compromise Elements

The African Group said its submission was designed explicitly to bridge differences, drawing on inputs from a wide range of members and groups.

Its proposal outlines specific directions on outstanding issues, incorporating concerns raised in earlier submissions and discussions, with the aim of shaping a potential compromise text acceptable to a broad cross-section of the membership.

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Parallel Talks on Stockholding and Safeguards

On the same day, Ambassador Hussain also convened dedicated discussions on two long-standing and contentious issues:

• Public stockholding programmes for food security, particularly the purchase of food at administered prices by developing economies

• A proposed Special Safeguard Mechanism, which would allow developing countries to respond to sudden import surges or sharp price declines

Both issues are seen by many developing members as critical to safeguarding domestic food systems and rural livelihoods.

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Mixed Reactions, Shared Goal of Progress

Delegates said the new submissions had been sent to capitals for review, though many offered initial reactions.

Key themes from members’ interventions included:

• Strong support for finding compromise to ensure MC14 is outcome-oriented

• Warnings that a purely declaratory outcome would be insufficient

• Caution against asking ministers to approve overly detailed commitments without convergence in Geneva

• Calls to fast-track issues previously identified as ministerial priorities

• Emphasis on avoiding prejudging final negotiation outcomes

Several members stressed that realistic expectations for MC14 should not undermine their long-term objectives in agriculture negotiations.

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Calls for Principles-Based and Process-Oriented Outcomes

Some delegations expressed openness to a ministerial declaration focused on core principles relating to trade, agriculture and food security, potentially complemented by process-related guidance for post-MC14 work.

Others cautioned that excessive specificity could be counterproductive given persistent divergences, though it was widely acknowledged that a high-level ministerial dialogue on the root causes of the stalemate would itself represent meaningful progress.

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Chair Urges Constructive Engagement

Ambassador Hussain encouraged members to continue engaging constructively to narrow differences and said he remains available to facilitate dialogue among groups.

“Any outcome on agriculture must ultimately emerge from members’ interactions and submissions,” he stressed.

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Next Steps Toward MC14

The next meeting of the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session is tentatively scheduled for 27 February, as WTO members race to build consensus on an agriculture outcome ahead of MC14.