Agriculture has long-been recognised as one of most challenging sectors for international trade cooperation. Over the past several years, there has been growing recognition across a range of international processes of the importance of greater sustainability in agricultural trade – on issues ranging from food security, nutrition and sustainable livelihoods to sustainable production, food waste, and deforestation.

Alongside, there is growing attention to a range of different trade-related policies – from environmentally harmful subsidies to voluntary standards and government requirements – and, critically, to the urgent need for trade cooperation that makes a meaningful impact on the ground.

This event will provide an opportunity to take stock: what is working, what is not, and where there are opportunities to foster cooperation that will achieve real, lasting positive impacts on sustainability in all its three dimensions – social, environmental and economic?

Expert panelists will be invited to present remarks of 6 minutes each, followed by 3-4 minutes each per delegate on the role of international cooperation on the following topics:

• fostering sustainable agricultural production, consumption, and trade;
• ⁠ending environmentally harmful agricultural subsidies;
• ensuring policy coherence between development, trade and environmental objectives; and
• promoting food, nutrition and livelihood security.

Speakers:

• Carolyn DEERE BIRKBECK, Executive Director, TESS
• Pinar KARAKAYA, Economist (Trade and Food Security), FAO
• Doaa ABDEL-MOTAAL, Senior Counsellor – Agriculture and Commodities Division, WTO
• Christophe BELLMANN, Head of Policy Analysis and Strategy, TESS
• Emeline FELLUS, Director of Food Reform for Sustainability and Health (FReSH), World Business Council for Sustainable Development
• Xiaotian FU, Food And Natural Resources Program Director, WRI China (Online)
• Diego ALFIERI, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Brazil to the World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva
• Luis OÑA, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Ecuador to the World Trade Organization and other International Economic Organizations in Geneva​
• Giulio MENATO, First Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the European Union to World Trade Organization
• Marlito CABUÑOS, Assistant Agriculture Attaché, Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the World Trade Organization
• Aurore DUPIN, First Secretary Agriculture, Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva