JOB/AG/225  
 
26 January 2022  
(22-0611) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Agriculture  
Special Session    
 
 
REPORT BY AMBASSADOR GLORIA ABRAHAM PERALTA TO THE  
COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE IN SPECIAL SESSION  
24 JANUARY 2022  
1. The main objective of this meeting is to give Members the opportunity to table new 
submissions, and to discuss the way forward in the agriculture negotiations.  
 
2. Following the announcement of the postponement of MC12, Members resolved to maintain 
the momen tum in the negotiations and build on the progress made thus far. It is therefore important 
for us to chart a way forward making the best possible use of the additional time gained as a result 
of the postponement.  
 
3. Of course, the uncertainty regarding the d ates of the Ministerial meeting makes our task more 
difficult, especially considering that this would very much depend on the evolution of the COVID -19 
pandemic, which is out of our hands. What is in our hands, however, is our commitment to work 
together a nd prepare a mutually acceptable agricultural package to be adopted as soon as the health 
situation permits us to hold a ministerial meeting.  
 
4. It is therefore important for us to maintain the momentum, building on the significant work 
undertaken in 2021, i n order to be ready for the Ministerial Conference, even if it is convened at 
short notice.  
 
5. If you will recall, we continued the intensive facilitator -led process launched in October 2020 
until June 2021, alongside regular CoA  Special Session  meetings and  dedicated discussions on PSH 
and SSM. In the second part of the year, we focused our efforts on making gradual progress towards 
textual negotiations for an outcome at MC12.  
 
6. In total, in 2021, more than 30 submissions were made, and 35 open discussion meetings 
dedicated to CoA -SS, PSH and SSM were held. In addition, about 50 consultations in different 
formats were arranged by the Facilitators and myself, not counting the numerous bilateral and small 
group consultations.  
 
7. On the basis of this extensive work, I circulated first a report on the way forward towards 
MC12 on 16 June 2021 (JOB/AG/202), followed by a first draft text on 29 July (J OB/AG/215) and 
finally a second draft text in my report to the TNC circulated on 23 November (TN/AG/50).   
 
8. The second draft text built on the first following a very intensive consultation process. My 
objective was to put on the table the closest possible starting point for a realistic, balanced, and 
meaningful package at MC12.  
 
9. Although most Members expressed  reservations about the text, as it did not fully reflect their 
initial ambitions or positions, they nevertheless considered it a realistic basis for negotiating an 
outcome at MC12 in most areas, but with some remaining gaps, more or less wide depending on  the 
topic.  
 
10. I would like to reiterate that the entire text, like any other such text, has to be seen as being 
in square brackets, because "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed", and that it is up to 
Members – and only to Members – to close the gap s and agree on an outcome for the agriculture 
negotiations.  
 JOB/AG/225  
 
- 2 - 
 
  11. It is in this context that I would like to hear today your views on the process forward. I 
convened an informal meeting at the HoDs level on Tuesday , 18 January to seek their political 
guidance o n the way forward. Today, I would like to have more in -depth discussions on the best 
way forward and more specifically establish what should be our objective in the short term and how 
we can re -engage effectively to turn the postponement of the Ministerial  Conference into an 
opportunity.  
 
12. Turning to my report.  
 
13. I held consultations at the HoDs level with around 30 delegations and Group Coordinators. 
Members supported the need to sustain momentum in the negotiations and find ways to make the 
best possible us e of the time ahead despite the current uncertainties regarding the possible date of 
MC12.  
 
14. Several Members stressed the importance of trust and the need to ensure that the process 
remained open, inclusive and transparent. Many Members supported the conti nuation of 
consultations in various formats, including bilateral and small group meetings, as they could enable 
focused exchanges, but stressed the need to use this type of setting only as a complement to open 
meetings and to report back to the wider Membe rship in a timely manner. The importance of 
ensuring the presence of Group Coordinators in these meetings was also emphasi zed. 
 
15. Let me stress in this respect that I have indeed always considered inclusiveness and 
transparency as fundamental principles of t he negotiation process and have therefore regularly 
reported on my consultations, as I am doing now, and have always considered these consultations 
only as preparatory exchanges for discussions within the wider Membership.  
 
16. Several Members also insisted on  the need to ensure enough time between meetings to give 
Members, and especially groups of Members, the opportunity to reflect, consult internally and adjust 
their positions as necessary throughout the process. Some Members also suggested to explore ways 
to reinvigorate PSH and SSM dedicated sessions.  
 
17. Some Member s considered that pending a decision on the date of MC12, text -based 
negotiations could be more difficult. It was suggested to use the additional time available to 
undertake technical work on some  issues to better understand the positions.  
 
18. Several Members noted that the latest text circulated in document TN/AG/50, was the first 
one in more than a decade and represented a reasonable assessment of the current state of play in 
the negotiations. The t ext constituted therefore an appropriate basis to continue the negotiations 
and backtracking should be avoided. However, there was a general agreement that more work would 
be required to get an improved version of the text.  
 
19. Several Members stressed the need to revise this draft text in light of the remaining gaps in 
negotiating positions, notably on PSH but also on other topics, including Domestic Support, Market 
Access, Export Restrictions, Special Safeguard Mechanism, Trans parency, Cotton or on the 
introductory part of the draft text.  
 
20. Members expressed divergent views on what could constitute the priorities for future 
discussions in line with their past positions, as well as on what would be required to ensure a 
balanced o utcome. Several Members emphasized the need to consider a possible outcome aimed at 
improving food security and livelihood, including in the context of the ongoing COVID -19 pandemic.  
 
21. Some Members indicated their readiness to consider the possibility to di sentangle a topic from 
the overall package in case a consensus could be reached separately, with some mentioning the 
draft decision on exempti ng WFP food purchases from export restrictions.    
 
22. Many Members emphasized the fact that the outcome of the negot iations was in the hands of 
the Members and not the Chair and stressed the need for all Members to adopt a realistic, pragmatic 
and flexible approach in the upcoming negotiations. One Member stressed the importance for all 
Members to consider how they coul d contribute to an outcome and alluded to past signalling 
conferences where Members were invited to send these kinds of signals.  
 JOB/AG/225  
 
- 3 - 
 
  23. This concludes my report. This meeting has been very useful, and I expect that we can build 
on our discussions today and work  towards an outcome that would be acceptable to all Members. 
This process is a Members' driven process. As stated on several occasions, I am only here to facilitate 
and assist you to make progress and eventually reach compromise solutions that would reflec t the 
interests of all.  
 
 
__________