RESTRICTED  
  
TN/AG/R/26  
28 July 2020 
(20-5232) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Agriculture  
Special Session   
 
  
SUMMARY REPORT OF THE THIRTY -NINTH FORMAL SPECIAL SESSION  
OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE  
HELD ON 21 JULY  2020  
NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT1 
The Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture, established by the General Council 
(WT/GC/M/53), is pursuing negotiations under paragraphs 13  and 14 and other relevant provisions 
of the Doha Ministerial Declaration . The 39th Formal Special Session was held on 2 1 July 2020. 
 
The agenda a s contained in WTO/AIR/TN/AG/3 of  7 July 2020 was ad opted . 
 
ELECTION OF THE CHAIRPERSON  
1.  WTO Deputy Director -General , Ambassador Alan Wolff , opened the 39th Formal Special Session 
of the Committee on Agriculture in the absence of the previous Chair person , Ambassador  Deep Ford 
of Guyana.  
2.  Deputy Director -Gener al, Ambassador Alan Wolff , recalled that, in a fax to Members on 
26 June 2020, the Chair person  of the General Council had informed Members of the general 
consensus on the appointment of Ambassador Gloria ABRAHAM PERALTA of Costa Rica as the new 
Chairperson  of the Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture  and the Sub -Committee on 
Cotton . The Chairperson of the General Council gave Members until Friday 3 July 2020 to share any 
comments or reservations about the proposed appointment.  
3.  In the absence of any objection to the  proposed appointment, the Chairperson of the 
General  Council confirmed on 6 July 2020 that Ambassador Abraham Peralta would be formally 
appointed as the new Chairperson of the Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture at its next 
meeting.  
4.  It was proposed therefore that , in light of the consensus among Members, the S pecial Session 
formally appoint  Ambassador Abraham Peralta  as the new Chairperson of the Special Session of the 
Committee on Agriculture and the Sub -Committe e on Cotton . It was so agreed.  
5.  WTO Deputy Director -General, Ambassador Alan Wolff, praised Ambassador Abraham's broad 
and significant  experience in agriculture, trade and trade negotiations, as well as her extensive 
experience in international and regional  organizations . He also highlighted that 
Ambassador  Abraham had been the first woman to be appointed as Minister  of Agriculture and 
Livestock in  Costa Rica.  
6.  In accepting her  new appointment, Ambassador Abraham thanked Member s for the confidence 
placed in h er and their support in electing her as Chairperson of the Special Session of the 
Committee  on Agriculture . She also took the opportunity to commend the efforts of her predecessor, 
Ambassador Deep Ford of  Guyana . Although Ambassador Ford was no longer in Geneva, she 
considered it  very important to take the  opportunity to commend him on his commitment to and 
leadership of  the work of the  negotiating group . She highlighted that,  during his two years in office , 
Ambassa dor Deep Ford had undertaken intensive technical work, successfully  promoting  
 
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  TN/AG/R/26  
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  negotiations in the different areas of interest, which had led to very active and constructive sessions . 
Ambassador  Abraham said that she was sure  that she was speaking on behalf  of all delegations in 
expressing  her appreciation and recognition of the Ambassador 's dedication and in wishing him all 
the best in his future endeavours.  
7.  Ambassador Abraham emphasized that, like her predecessor, her work would be anchored in the 
principles of inclusiveness and transparency . She assured Members that her stewardship  as 
Chair person  of the negotiating group would  always be steered towards supporting Members in 
facilitating negotiations, fostering an environment conducive to open discu ssions, and helpi ng to 
promote new ideas that le d to consensus building.  
8.  The Chairperson acknowl edged that the task ahead was arduous . She emphasized that  the 
sustainability of the global  agricultural system and agricultural trade reform were issues of the  
utmost importance for Members and for the future of the multilateral trading system . World food 
security and successful ly adapt ing to the new challenges  of the current  century w ould depend on 
the success of their work . She said that , without a d oubt, the COVID -19 pandemic would  have social 
and economic consequences that would  require adaptation, versatility and flexibility , and that would  
have to be transferred over together – collectively – to the agriculture negotiations.  
9.  She added that the work carried out by Members had been extremely important, and that much 
time and energy had been devoted to creating successful outcomes at the Twelfth Ministerial 
Conference . She indicate d her intention to continue the  work on the issues of domestic support , 
market access, export comp etition and export restrictions  in the dedicated sessions on 
Public  Stockholding for Food Security Purposes and the Special Safeguard Mechanism, a s well as in 
the specific discussions  on cotton . In that regard , the Chairperson  emph asized that she had the 
valuable support and informed contributions of all Members to enable them  to learn together from 
past mistakes and to address each other's interests and sensitivities  effectively and in a balanced 
manner . She said that t oday, more t han ever,  Members should be realistic in their ambition and 
creative in building solutions.  
10.  She noted that, in a Member -driven organization, the next steps had to  be decided jointly , and 
that, from now on, she would make herself  available to all Members an d guarantee that her door 
would always be open to them . She also said that she would begin  formal consultation s as soon as 
the summer break was  over, hoping that t he summer break would provide some time to focus 
everyone's energy on dealing with t he effects of the pandemic  and thinking about how best to 
reinvigorate  negotiation efforts.  
11.  She said that Ambassador F ord's latest report on the status of the negotiations provided  a good 
basis for starting t he process, so in September she would ask Members for their impressions on both 
process -related issues and  substantive issues . She indicated  that she would like to receive feedback 
from Members on the foll owing topics : (i) lessons from  the negotiating proc ess before the pandemic, 
and the possible adjustments required in the current situation ; (ii) negotiation pr iorities ; and (iii)  the 
deadlines for the different stages of consultations and negotiations.  
12.  She announc ed that details of the Sp ecial Session Comm ittee meeting dates  would be decided 
based on the outcome of the initial consultations after the summer break . However, she  informed 
Members of  her intention to convene an informal meeti ng no later than the second half  of Sep tember 
to inform Members of progress in the consultations and to provide an opportunity to discuss a 
possible ro ad map for  the various  negotiati ng issues . She said that she trusted  that Mem bers would 
cooperate positively in planning  the way forward  together . 
13.  The Chairperson concluded by recalling that it was in times of difficulty that the best side of the 
human spirit had an  opportunity to flourish . The complexity of agricultural negotiations, rather than 
discouraging Members , should serve as an incentive to find innovative solutions . It was o nly through 
dialogue and mutual understanding that they would be able to move towards agreements that 
benefit ed all Members . She added that as Chairperson and facilitator, she would do everything she 
could to support them  in this task, and that she hoped to meet with all Members in the very near 
future.  TN/AG/R/26  
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  14.  During the meeting , 29 delega tions (including Group  coordina tors) took the floor to congratulate 
the new Chairperson and express  their full commitment to working with her , and several delegations 
also took the opportunity to pay tribute to the work of the previous Chairperson . 
 
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