Brazil and the United Kingdom, two of the world's leading trading nations, share the view that an open system of global trade will bring prosperity to the world and help lift millions of people out of poverty. We firmly believe that at a time of global economic uncertainty and high food prices we need to open markets and expand trade, not turn to protectionism.

After months of hard work and intense negotiations, a deal is now nearer than ever before. However, the window of opportunity to reach such an agreement is becoming increasingly narrow.

The time for technical negotiations is coming to an end. The key decisions are now of a political nature. We need to act firmly and swiftly. If we fail to do so, we will let down the world's poorest people and destroy the foundations for sustainable economic growth in the future. The price of failure would be too high.

The Director-General of the World Trade Organization has called a ministerial meeting for 21 July, which will offer us an opportunity to agree on the basic elements for a package that is both balanced and geared towards development. Let us not miss the chance.

Source: Office of the President