At WTO conference, Brazil defends food security package

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Carlos Alberto Franco France advocated a food security package and the reform of the United States’ dispute settlement system. World Trade Organization (WTO) during the 12th ministerial conference of the entity.

França highlighted Brazil’s “unshakable commitment” to the WTO and the multilateral trading system and said that it is necessary to take advantage of the meeting to seek significant results and pave the way for “further progress” at the next event.

“We need a food security package with short-term and long-term results; helping to stabilize food markets now and establishing mandates for agricultural reform at the next ministerial meeting,” said the minister, according to a speech released by the WTO of representatives from around the world.

France also defended the conclusion of delayed fisheries negotiations “with the highest standards of sustainability”.

Still in the speech, the minister highlighted that the WTO is “strategically positioned” to offer a contribution on pandemic preparedness and public health, including neglected diseases in developing countries, and that a multilateral result in this field is “necessary and achievable”.

The minister also said that the WTO dispute settlement system “needs to be reformed and restored”. “We need a way for the WTO to assimilate plurilateral negotiations, such as JSIs (joint declaration initiatives) in services, investment and e-commerce, in which Brazil has been playing an active role,” he said.

France also advocated annual meetings, rather than every two years, of ministers within the framework of the WTO. “During annual meetings, we wouldn’t necessarily deliver large packages, but we could exchange views on business issues; bringing new approaches and political impetus to Geneva; and address business emergencies in a timely manner, allowing the WTO to deliver results as new challenges arise,” he said.