WTO Agriculture Negotiations: Outgoing Chair Decries "Groundhog Day"

At a meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agriculture negotiations, outgoing Chair Ambassador Alparslan Acarsoy of Türkiye delivered his final report, urging members to overcome longstanding divisions and achieve substantive progress ahead of the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé in 2026.

Reflecting on efforts over the past two years, Ambassador Acarsoy expressed regret that MC13 in 2024 had failed to deliver an outcome on agriculture, despite nearing consensus. “The position we find ourselves in is very similar to where we stood before MC13. I urge you to collectively consider what steps can be taken to break free from this recurring ‘Groundhog Day’ scenario and drive meaningful progress forward,” he stated.

Rebuilding trust and establishing credible targets are essential to restoring effective negotiations, Acarsoy emphasized, adding that he remained optimistic about his successor’s ability to guide members toward “evidence-based discussions” and “text-based negotiations.”

A WTO source echoed these sentiments, acknowledging that agriculture remains a challenging area. “The current impasse is unsustainable. If members are serious about reaching a deal, they must be willing to move beyond entrenched positions and engage in pragmatic, solution-oriented discussions,” the source said.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala praised Acarsoy’s leadership and called on members to intensify efforts. She underscored that agriculture will be central to MC14 and urged members to support ongoing initiatives, such as the collaborative work of the African Group and the Cairns Group.

At the meeting, Australia, speaking on behalf of both groups, reaffirmed their commitment to developing a modalities package for consideration ahead of MC14. Regular technical discussions will continue in 2025 to refine the package and build consensus.

Members broadly supported the need for renewed negotiations. Brazil emphasized the urgency of advancing discussions with greater flexibility and creativity. Cameroon, as MC14 host, called for proactive engagement, while the European Union and Switzerland stressed the importance of building on existing progress rather than restarting negotiations from scratch.

Developing countries, including India and Indonesia (on behalf of the G33), called for addressing longstanding mandates, such as public stockholding for food security and safeguards for developing nations. China advocated for identifying key themes to drive negotiations, while the United States praised Acarsoy’s efforts but did not outline a clear path forward.

Canada reiterated its strong support for multilateralism and trade liberalization, warning against protectionist tendencies and urging members to uphold WTO principles. Paraguay also voiced its commitment to multilateralism, emphasizing that challenges to the system should be addressed through greater cooperation, not retreat.

As the search for Acarsoy’s successor continues, WTO members remain under pressure to break the stalemate and secure a meaningful outcome for agriculture at MC14.