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| LAHORE, April 15 (APP)- The 31st Ministerial meeting of Cairns Group, an unmbrellea organization of agriculture exporting countries of world, being held in Lahore from April 16-18, will formally welcome Latin American country, Peru into its fold. Australian Trade Minister, Warren Truss will open the moot while Federal Commerce Minister, Humayun Akhtar will present the address of welcome. According to Commerce Ministry sources, the commerce and trade ministers from the member countries of the group will participate in the moot which will discuss the key issues in the agriculture negotiations, including Tropical Products. The Cairns Group, a coalition of developed and developing countries from Latin America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, has been an influential voice in the agricultural reform debate since its formation in 1986 and has continued to play a key role in pressing the WTO membership to meet in full the far-reaching mandate set in Doha. Besides the Cairns Group, Special invitations have been extended to WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy, United States Trade Representative Ms. Susan C. Schwab, United States Secretary of Agriculture Johanns, EU Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson and EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Fischer Boel. The members of the group are: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines, Peru, South Africa, Thailand and Uruguay. | |
| http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7727&Itemid=2 |
3 comments:
Is the Cairns Group, a WTO support group?
yep a spin off , spinners for the wto is right:
"The Cairns Group is a coalition of 19 agricultural exporting countries. A diverse coalition bringing together developed and developing countries from Latin America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, the Cairns Group has been an influential voice in the agricultural reform debate since its formation in 1986 and has continued to play a key role in pressing the WTO membership to meet in full the far-reaching mandate set in Doha."
http://www.cairnsgroup.org/
Talks on WTO agriculture deal begin in Lahore tomorrow
By Sajid Chaudhry
ISLAMABAD: Key trade negotiators from 26 countries and trading blocks from around the world are set to enter into a serious round of agriculture negotiations on the occasion of 31st Ministerial Meeting of the Cairns Group scheduled from April 16 to18 at Lahore.
The success of these agriculture negotiations among the key negotiators could possibly lead to finalization of much awaited “Agreement on Agriculture” of the World Trade Organization (WTO). This agreement aims at elimination of al kinds of exports and domestic subsidies on agriculture, reduction in import tariffs and market access for the developing countries to the markets of the developed countries.
Special invitees are Susan Schwab, United States Trade Representative (USTR), Peter Mendelssohn, European Trade Commissioner, Canadian Minister, Japanese Agriculture Minister, Pascal Lamy, Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ministerial level representation from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam.
These crucial negotiations are being held on the occasion of 31st ministerial meeting of the Cairns Group headed by Australia representing 19 countries having interest in agriculture including Pakistan. The Cairns Group is a coalition of 19 agricultural exporting countries including Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand and Uruguay.
This is a diverse coalition bringing together developed and developing countries from Latin America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, the Cairns Group has been an influential voice in the agricultural reform debate since its formation in 1986 and has continued to play a key role in pressing the WTO membership to meet in full the far-reaching mandate set in Doha.
Agriculture is one of the most contentious issues in the DDA negotiations as the major WTO member countries have vast differences mainly on the issues of Domestic Support (subsidies) and Market Access (tariffs). Developing countries want reduction/removal of various forms of subsidies and reduction in tariffs so that the prices in international markets are not distorted and developing countries get reasonable market access in the developed markets.
A senior official informed that recent studies by the ministry of agriculture shows that even on a conservative side, we could achieve export target of agriculture products to the tune of $ 5.25 to 6.5 billion over a 6 to 7 year period, as a result of the successful conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) negotiations on Agriculture. It is also worth underlining the fact that, so far we have only been able to make reasonable exports of one agriculture product i.e.’ Rice’. One of the reasons is that because we have a special zero rate for basmati in the EU.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?date=4/17/2007
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