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Cabinet officials

Food Security and Human Welfare Critical in Trade Agreements

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Minister Ebrahim Patel of South Africa emphasized the importance of prioritizing food security and human welfare in trade agreements during the Informal World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Ministers Meeting. The meeting aimed to narrow differences and generate consensus for the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations, which are crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.6. The goal aims to prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, and eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Key Takeaways:

  • Minister Patel stressed that the key objective of the negotiations should be to discipline subsidies that are targeted at large-scale industrial fishing while safeguarding food security and livelihoods for subsistence and artisanal fisheries.
  • A study by the Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that 85% of governments' fisheries subsidies benefit large industrial fleets, creating perverse incentives for unsustainable fishing practices.
  • Minister Patel emphasized the need for a fresh set of thinking about trade policy and its interface with industrial policies and legitimate national industrial objectives.
  • The South African government proposed the TRIPS Waiver to promote timely, affordable, and equitable access to vaccines, medical technologies, and treatments of COVID-19, and ensure that intellectual property rights (IPRs) are protected for the benefit of all.
  • Minister Patel highlighted the need for the G20 and the World Trade Organization to discuss the relationship between TRIPS and COVID-19, arguing that affordable access to technology to produce critical medical supplies remains important.
  • The Minister stressed that strong and resilient national systems should enhance national production capacities, ensure greater diversification and value-addition, and technological upgrading.

Statistics:

  • 85% of governments' fisheries subsidies benefit large industrial fleets, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation study.
  • The negotiations on fisheries subsidies are at a critical stage, with a deadline by 2020 to eliminate subsidies that contribute to the Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported (IUU) fishing.
  • The WTO has a role to deliver on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.6, which aims to prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies.

Sources:

  • "South African minister stresses importance of food security in trade talks" (South African Government, 2020)
  • "WTO Trade Ministers Meeting" (World Trade Organization, 2020)
  • "Food Security" (Food and Agriculture Organisation, no date)
  • "G20 Ministers of Trade and Investment meeting" (G20, 2020)

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