Media Release
5 June, 2009
Australia to Chair a Crucial Meeting of Agricultural Exporting Nations in Bali
The Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, will leave on Saturday for Bali, Indonesia, to chair the 33rd Cairns Group Ministerial Meeting which will be hosted by Indonesian Trade Minister, Dr Mari Pangestu.
Ministers from the Cairns Group are meeting in Bali on 7-9 June to work towards concluding the world trade talks and to discuss how to avoid a reversion to protectionism.
The meeting comes at a crucial time in the midst of the global recession and a downturn in international trade.
“This meeting will send a strong political message on the need to fight protectionism and conclude World Trade Organization negotiations,” Mr Crean said.
“This is a key meeting – as it will be the first in a series of ministerial-level engagements over coming months that will provide the opportunity and momentum to conclude the Doha Round.
“Now is the time for political engagement if we are going to drive the Doha Round to a successful conclusion.
“Only concluding the Doha Round can eradicate market-distorting subsidies such as dairy export subsidies that have re-emerged this year,” Mr Crean said.
“The meeting will be an important opportunity to respond to the mandate set out for us by G20 leaders in April on concluding the Doha Round and rejecting protectionism.
“It will be an opportunity to send a strong message about the importance of trade as an economic stimulus at this time of global economic downturn,” Mr Crean said.
The Group has invited a number of special guests to engage with Cairns Group members on how to bring the Doha Round agriculture negotiations to a successful conclusion.
Attendance by the US Trade Representative Ron Kirk will allow the first major opportunity for collective engagement with the new US administration on the Doha Round. The new Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry, Anand Sharma, and WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy will also attend.
The Cairns Group is a coalition of 19 agricultural exporting countries which account for over 25 per cent of the world’s agricultural exports.
This is the first time that Indonesia, an original member of the Cairns Group, has hosted a ministerial meeting.
Media Inquiries
- Mr Crean’s Office 02 6277 7420
- Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555