ities ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁to ▁discuss ▁the ▁progress . ▁The ▁W TO ▁is ▁involved ▁in ▁several ▁events ▁every ▁year ▁that ▁provide ▁opportun ities ▁to ▁discuss ▁and ▁advance ▁trade ▁negoti ations ▁at ▁a ▁concept ual ▁level . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Brazil ▁and ▁Lam y ▁focused ▁on ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁over coming ▁the ▁dead lock . ▁President ▁L ula ▁ur ged ▁Bar ack ▁Ob ama ▁to ▁end ▁a ▁trade ▁dispute ▁between ▁Brazil ▁and ▁the ▁US ▁over ▁cot ton ▁subs id ies ▁after ▁the ▁W TO ▁gave ▁Brazil ▁the ▁formal ▁go - a head ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁to ▁imp ose ▁san ctions ▁on ▁imports ▁of ▁over ▁ 1 0 0 ▁US ▁goods . ▁Lam y ▁highlight ed ▁the ▁difficulty ▁of ▁obtain ing ▁agreement ▁from ▁the ▁US ▁without ▁the ▁president ial ▁fast - track ▁authority ▁and ▁bien n ial ▁elections . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁consequences ▁of ▁the ▁economic ▁crisis ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 8 – 2 0 0 9 ▁is ▁the ▁desire ▁of ▁political ▁leaders ▁to ▁shelter ▁their ▁constitu ents ▁from ▁the ▁increasing ly ▁compet itive ▁market ▁experienced ▁during ▁market ▁contra ctions . ▁Lam y ▁hoped ▁that ▁the ▁drop ▁in ▁trade ▁of ▁ 1 2 % ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁quoted ▁as ▁the ▁largest ▁annual ▁drop ▁since ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁could ▁be ▁counter ed ▁by ▁successful ▁conclusion ▁of ▁the ▁D oh a ▁round . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁annual ▁conference ▁of