WTO and the “Trade and Development” Agenda

Trade as a vehicle for Growth and Development? Can Trade really work for Development?  Can Trade provide the developing countries with the means to progress and economic growth? 

 “Trade” could be made meaningful for the development in developing countries by:

1. Ensuring the DOHA round is actually advancing the development needs of developing countries.
2. Increasing support and capacity building of developing countries by addressing and advancing priorities of developing countries that they (developing countries) have identified.
3. Improving national trade policies and processes that should include:
   1. New market access for industrial and agricultural goods from developing countries
   2. Make meaningful cuts on the levels of agricultural supports in the developed countries that undermine the competitiveness of developing countries
   3. Ensure that any deals put forth during the NAMA negotiations do not undermine the industrialization and advancement prospects of the developing countries.
   4. Providing supports and mechanisms for “duty-free” and “quota-free access for goods from developing countries.
   5. Expanding opportunities and capacities of developing countries to take advantage of greater movement of labor
   6. Long-term sustainable strategy stressing serious discipline, including fishing subsidies, in particular.

 In addition, all relevant stakeholders, representation of all sectors, should be brought together around the discussion table, not just private sectors, but also small and micro business players, farmers, civil society organization, fisher-folks, migrant workers, indigenous people, etc.  This also should include the full-range of government departments and ministries.

 Reference:  WTO Forum on 8 October 2007 with Carolyn Deere, Director of the Trade Governance Project, Oxford University, and Rosalie Hamilton, Founder of the Institute of  Law and Economics, University of Technology-Kingston, Jamaica.