On 9 May 2018, FAO and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) organized an informal policy dialogue on “Rethinking food and agricultural trade negotiations: Identifying options for progress” which took place at the Maison de la Paix in Geneva. 

The one-day event was opened by Ricardo Melendez-Ortiz, Chief Executive of ICTSD and Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva and gathered around 40 international policy-makers, negotiators, farm groups and other policy actors who explored the evolving landscape of global agricultural markets and policy.

The dialogue examined the implications of the proliferation of preferential trade deals and national policies affecting food and agriculture. The participants also considered how these developments could shape ongoing talks on farm trade at the multilateral level in the light of commitments that governments have made under Agenda 2030.

In her opening remarks, Ms Rodrigues Birkett stressed that today’s dialogue was part of FAO-ICTSD collective effort to support governments in ensuring that trade policies and rules contribute to advancing the commitments made under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. She underlined that FAO supports Member Countries in their effective engagement in the formulation of trade policies and agreements that are conducive to improved food security and sustainable agricultural development. 

FAO Geneva Director explained that this dialogue was very timely, given that many regional and bilateral agreements have been concluded or are being negotiated, the most recent example being the agreement to establish a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) in Africa, reached by 44 African states.

Georgios Mermigkas, Economist at FAO took part of one session titled “the evolving landscape of agricultural trade: markets and policy”. The discussion explored how markets, policies and governance frameworks have evolved since the conclusion of the Uruguay Round in 1994, and examined trends and developments that are likely to be important in the years ahead.