RESTRICTED  
  
TN/AG/R/24  
 
12 May  2017 
(17-2546) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Agricu lture  
Special Session    
 
SUMMARY REPORT OF TH E THIRTY -SEVENTH  FORMAL SPECIAL SESSI ON 
OF THE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE  HELD ON 26 APRIL 2017  
NOTE BY THE SECRETAR IAT1 
The Special Session of the Committee on Agriculture, established by the General Council 
(WT/GC/M/53), is pursuing neg otiations under paragraphs 13, 14 and other relevant provisions of 
the Doha Ministerial Declaration. The 3 7th Formal Special Session was held on 26 April 2017 . 
The agenda as contained in WTO/AIR/ TN/AG/1 of 12 April  2017 was adopted.  
ELECTION OF THE CHAIRPE RSON  
1.   WTO Deputy Director -General David Shark  opened the 3 7th Formal Special Session of the 
Committee on Agriculture in the absence of the previous Chairman, Ambassador  Vangelis Vitalis  of 
New Zealand.  
2.   Following the meeting of the Ge neral Council on 7 April  2017, it was proposed to appoint 
Ambassador Stephen Ndũn'gũ Karau , from Kenya, to the position of Chairman of the Special 
Session of the Committee on Agriculture and the Sub -Committee on Cotton. It was so agreed.  
3.   In accepting his new appointment, Ambassador Stephen Ndũn'gũ Karau thanked the Members 
for their support in electing him as Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture in Special Session. 
He also noted  that his  responsibilities also cover ed the dedicated sessions on Public Stockholding 
for Food Security Purposes and on the Special Safeguard Mechanism for  developing country 
Members, as well as the dedicated discussions of the relevant trade -related developments for  
cotton.  
4.   Ambassador Stephen Ndũn'gũ Karau also recorded his gratitude to  his predecessor, 
Ambassador Vangelis V italis, for his dedication and un tiring efforts  that had led to a historical 
outcome on agriculture in Nairobi in December  2015.  
5.   He noted that the role of Chairman was challen ging and the technical and policy issue s 
involved in the negotiations  were complex . But while the negotiating environment was uncertain, 
Members had demonstrated that outcomes were possible with an open, inclusive, creative and 
pragmatic negotiation proces s. 
6.   Ambassador Stephen Ndũn'gũ Karau stressed that he would fully engage with Members in his  
new capacity as Chair man of the CoA Special Session . He stressed  that trust was absolutely 
essential in his new ro le. He was  firmly committed to the consensus  and transparency principles 
and he would work  fairly, objectively and transparently with all delegations.  He also told M embers  
that he saw his role as essentially being that of a facilitator, which meant that the negotiations had 
to take place between the Members and not between him a nd the Members.  
7.   He informed the Members that his intention wa s to start from where the previous Chair man 
had left the discussions during his last round of meetings of the S pecial Session in 
November  2016. His understanding was , however , that some Members h ad taken advantage of the 
                                                
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 obligatio ns under the WTO.  TN/AG/R/24  
 
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  recess to continue working on various iss ues in different configurations and that he was looking 
forwa rd to hearing from them about the progress  made  in their discussions .  
8.   On the way forward, he indicated that  his door was open t o any delegation willing to meet with 
him. He would start consulting the following  day with group coordinators  and individual Members 
to listen to their  views on  what could be realistically achieved in Buenos Aires and  how it could be 
accomplished . 
9.   His int ention was also  to convene an informal open -ended meeting of the Special Session, as 
well as dedicated sessions on public stockholding for food security purposes and on the special 
safeguard mechanism for developing country Members in the second half of Ma y.  
10.   Benin welcomed the new Chairman and highlighted the importance of agric ulture , especially 
for developing c ountry Members and LDCs. An acceleration of the negotiation was expected  in view 
of the  Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires . 
11.   Benin also stressed the importance of a  transparent , participatory  and inclusive process , 
especially as regards Domestic Support.  
12.   Benin  informe d other participants that the C 4 coordinator would circulate soon a submission 
presenting the conclusions of the C4 Ministe rial meeting on cotton held in Cotonou on 18 -21 April.  
13.   Finally, Benin invited t he Chairman to take into account the dates of  high-level events taking 
place in Geneva when planni ng enlarged meetings . 
14.   The Chairman took note of Benin' s statement , including i n particular the concerns related to 
the dates  of meetings in the following weeks.  
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