The World Trade Organization (WTO) deals with and reports on the global rules of trade between nations, to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible. They are holding their 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) on 12-15 June 2022 at WTO headquarters in Geneva (above). Australia’s Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell and Assistant Minister for Trade Tim Ayres are leading our delegation to the meeting.
Minister Farrell said MC12 is an important opportunity for Trade Ministers from all 164 WTO Members to come together to direct the future work of the organisation as it seeks to respond to these challenges. “I am honoured to have been appointed as one of the three Vice-Chairs of the Conference and look forward to working with my counterparts to achieve outcomes that will address current global challenges and serve our collective interests,” Minister Farrell said.
The Conference is being co-hosted by Kazakhstan and chaired by Mr Timur Suleimenov, Deputy Chief of Staff of Kazakhstan’s President. Kazakhstan was originally scheduled to host MC12 in June 2020 but the conference was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before departing for Geneva, Mr Farrell Chaired a meeting of Cairns Group Ministers, where they affirmed their joint determination to see concrete progress at MC12 towards equitable agricultural trade reform and to continue working together to create a more level playing field in agricultural trade globally.
The minister revealed his intention to speak with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on the side lines of the conference and will assess the progress of Australia’s WTO cases against China’s punitive trade tariffs on our wine, barley, beef, timber and lobster.
Also prior to the MC12, Assistant Minister Ayres led Australia’s delegation to the annual OECD Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris on 09 and 10 June. Among other issues, he discussed the importance and challenges of free and open trade in the global economic response to the COVID-19 recovery.
In associated news, Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles held a breakthrough meeting with Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe in Singapore at the weekend, ending a diplomatic freeze imposed by Beijing in 2020. National Farmers’ Federation chief economist Ash Salardini said these ministerial-level talks were “positive,” although exporters did not expect a sudden return to “business as usual.”
Ahead of the MC12 Ministerial Conference, the Australian Government announced its $2.9 million contribution to the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF). The STDF assists developing countries implement quarantine standards to gain access to international agricultural markets. Australia’s $5.6 million E-Commerce Fund has helped over 850 small businesses in our region access the benefits of digital trade through e‑commerce skills development. In the lead-up to MC12, Australia reiterated its support for Timor-Leste’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
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