Address by Minister Mauro Vieira at the ministerial meeting of the Cairns Group - Abu Dhabi, February 25, 2024

Dear Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism of Australia,

Distinguished ministers and representatives of the Cairns Group,

It is a pleasure to be here today. First of all, I would like to express Brazil’s gratitude to Australia for its commitment to the Cairns Group and its dedication to the cause of agricultural reform within WTO.

I would also like to warmly welcome our new member: Ukraine, a major food producer and exporter, that has shared the Group’s views on WTO agriculture reform for many years as an observer.

Finally, I congratulate Thailand for its nomination as vice-chair of the Cairns Group.

The Cairns Group has long been at the forefront of advocating for agricultural reform within WTO, producing invaluable technical work and maintaining momentum even in the face of significant challenges and headwinds.

Our strength lies in our economic and geographical diversity, as well as in our ability to remain united in the pursuit of common goals.

In the spirit of multilateralism, it is imperative to remain steadfast in our commitment to the principles enshrined in Article 20 of the Agreement on Agriculture.

For Brazil a positive outcome in agriculture is absolutely indispensable for a successful MC13. After so many years, it is not acceptable to let agriculture reform be sidelined once again.

Here in Abu Dhabi, the Cairns Group should stand together and be ready to refuse any partial solution or early harvest that would certainly be detrimental to our historical demands.

A broad mandate for modalities by MC14 seems to be the possible compromise at this point. In spearheading comprehensive and balanced reforms in Agriculture the Cairns group will be playing an important role not only in fostering agricultural trade, but also in promoting food security around the world.

In the forward-looking moment of this Conference, the Cairns Group should continue its pioneering work on addressing various challenges in agricultural trade. This includes unilateral and discriminatory measures taken in the name of environmental concerns.

We have the opportunity to build on the momentum generated by the September declaration on sustainability in agricultural trade and make a decisive contribution to ensure agriculture’s crucial role in the WTO's debates on sustainable economic transition.

Finally, as we engage in intensive negotiations this week, we must bear in mind that addressing development and social needs is essential to move the agenda forward and tackle contemporary challenges effectively. Disparities in production conditions, such as fiscal capacity, access to credit, and infrastructure, must be acknowledged and addressed through special and differential treatment.

Let us move forward united, redoubling our efforts to achieve meaningful and overdue change.

Thank you.