Trade Minister Mark Vaile heads to Uruguay this Sunday to chair the 22nd Ministerial Meeting of the Cairns Group of agricultural fair trading nations in Punta del Este, Uruguay (3-5 September). 

The meeting marks the 15th anniversary of both the Cairns Group and the launch of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations. 

"The Cairns Group is the most enduring and successful single-issue lobby group in the World Trade Organisation and it is acknowledged as the third force in WTO agriculture negotiations," Mr Vaile said.

"This year's Ministerial Meeting is a critical one, coming just two months before the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar.

"International interest in the meeting has been high.  Our special guests will include US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and US Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman, Kenya's Minister for Trade and Industry Nicholas Biwott, and Pakistan's Minister for Commerce, Industries and Production, Abdul Razak Dawoo."

During the meeting, the Cairns Group will establish its objectives for Doha, refine its strategy for advancing the mandated WTO agriculture negations, and further develop its strategies for building support for agriculture reform.

"In spite of 15 years of effort to reform agricultural trade, much work remains to be done," Mr Vaile said. 

"The Cairns Group remains firmly determined to establish a fair, market-oriented agricultural trading system."

Mr Vaile will host a dinner at Parliament House this evening (28 August) to commemorate the Cairns Group's 15th anniversary.  Guests will include former trade ministers, key industry representatives, Australia's past and present senior trade negotiators, and diplomatic representatives from Cairns Group member countries.