The Cairns Group
HISTORY AND PRESENT STATUS
The Cairns Group is an informal association of
fifteen agricultural exporter members of the World
Trade Organisation (WTO), which share the common
objective of further liberalisation of global agricultural
trade. It was established in 1986 in the context
of the Uruguay Round (UR) of negotiations specifically
to advance the cause of liberalisation in agricultural
trade - which until then had been outside the GATT
system - within the multilateral trading system.
The Group agreed to continue meeting in the post-UR
period to ensure full implementation of the UR agreements
on agriculture, to further their objectives of "fair
trade in agricultural exports" and to prepare
for further negotiations in 1999.
South Africa became a member in 1997 after attending
the Ministerial Meetings in Manila (1995), Cartagena
(1996), and Rio de Janeiro (1997) as an observer.
South Africa's membership expanded the Group's geographical
coverage to the African continent and was perceived
by other members as strengthening its collective
voice for further global agricultural reform.
OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND COOPERATING ORGANISATIONS
Agriculture
Trade and Industry
GENERAL COMMENTS
The collective experience of the Cairns Group in
trade negotiations, research on agricultural trade
policy issues, collaboration and coordination regarding
the monitoring of implementation of the Agreement
on Agriculture, and Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures
have proved to be valuable resources in South Africa's
WTO activities. Since June 1997 the Geneva-based
coordination activities of the Group have been useful
supplements to South Africa's own capacity.
Alongside utilising the Cairns Group as a vehicle
for achieving South Africa's own agricultural trade
objectives, the country brings to the CG a further
development perspective. South Africa has been particularly
active in the Cairns Group context in promoting
the elimination of export subsidies, arguing that
they generally harm the interests of developing
countries.
Alongside utilising the Cairns Group as a vehicle
for achieving South Africa's own agricultural trade
objectives, the country brings to the CG a further
development perspective. South Africa has been particularly
active in the Cairns Group context in promoting
the elimination of export subsidies, arguing that
they generally harm the interests of developing
countries.
