CW pledges duty-free access to market for developing countries

VALLETTA, (Malta)—The leaders of Commonwealth while emphasizing the need to promote trade Sunday reaffirmed the determination to work towards duty-free and quota-free access for least developed countries to the markets of the developed countries.
The Heads of Government of the Commonwealth representing one quarter of the world governments, one-third of the world population and one-fifth of global trade from 53 countries through Valletta statement on multilateral trade issued on Saturday night, recognised the fundamental contribution of international trade to global prosperity, poverty elimination and sustainable development.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz played very important and pivotal role in the negotiations on free trade and to give more concessions to the developing countries.
The Commonwealth leaders also recognised that in today’s world, characterized by the accelerating influence of globalization, trade issues can no longer be negotiated in isolation and that human security in its totality must be reflected in the outcome of multilateral trade negotiations.
The leaders of Commonwealth firmly believed that the legitimacy of the multilateral trade negotiating system should not be called into question, and that the weak and vulnerable must benefit from an equitable share in the universally available opportunities provided through international trade.
They also reaffirmed their abiding commitment to the objectives of the Doha Development Agenda of the World Trade Organisation, which provides an unprecedented opportunity of an equitable international trading system.
Through the statement on multilateral trade announced by Prime Minister of Malta Lawrence Gonzi and Secretary General of the Commonwealth Don McKinnon, the meeting also emphasised the need that Doha Round should be a successful conclusion by the end of 2006 at the latest.
The Commonwealth head of governments deeply concerned about the pace of the negotiations of Doha Round believed that the outcome of the Doha Round must be based on higher ambitions than are currently evident, and the Commonwealth collectively pledges its global influence to correct this.
The Commonwealth leaders committed to inject urgency into the work of negotiators at the WTO, and particularly instructed their delegations to the forthcoming WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong to be flexible and to place priority on a genuinely development-oriented Round for the collective good.
They called on all developed countries to demonstrate the political courage and will to give more than they receive in this Round, particularly in the negotiations on agriculture and market access, as their own longer term prosperity and security depend on such an approach.
The Commonwealth leaders also recognised that developing countries must also demonstrate flexibility and commitment to ensure a successful outcome to the Round.
Referring to the importance of agriculture sector, the Commonwealth leaders said,”We are mindful of the critical importance of agriculture to developing economies for subsistence, as a reservoir of future economic growth, and as a sector where many of our members have a potential comparative advantage”. The Commonwealth leaders said the agriculture is the most distorted sector of world trade and they are determined to pursue significant progress towards fuller and more meaningful subjection of agricultural production and trade to multilateral disciplines.
They noted the offer on agriculture made by the United States and expressed the hope that the European Union and others who maintain high levels of agricultural protection respond in the same spirit. The Commonwealth recognised that agriculture cannot be seen in isolation but believed that significant progress in the negotiations on agriculture at this stage would provide impetus to progress in other negotiating areas of the Round.
They expressed the hope that the Hong Kong Round of WTO would be strongly development-oriented, including balanced agreements on non-agricultural market access, services, rules, trade facilitation, and implementation issues.
The Commonwealth leaders expressed the hope that the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong should reach agreement on the elimination of all forms of export subsidies by 2010, and significant improvements in market access.—APP