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Commonwealth presses for firmer commitment from rich nations
Bandar Seri Begawan, Sept 17: The world`s richest countries must show a greater sense of commitment towards the creation of a new global multilateral trading accord after the collapse of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks in Mexico, the Commonwealth grouping says.
Bandar Seri Begawan, Sept 17: The world's richest countries must show a greater sense of commitment towards the creation of a new global multilateral trading accord after the
collapse of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks in Mexico, the Commonwealth grouping says.
"The recent impasse at Cancun is evidence of the fact
that the usual give and take negotiating tactics just won't
work anymore," the Commonwealth secretary-general Don
McKinnon said late yesterday.
"And in a 'development round' it is criminal to expect developing countries to accept a raw deal," he said in a speech at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth finance ministers meeting in the Brunei capital.
"We need to see a spirit of generous globalisation adopted by negotiators before they next meet in the coming months."
The majority of the Commonwealth's member nations are still developing and agriculture plays a crucial role in their economies.
Of the 54 members, only four -- Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom -- are considered developed even though the grouping's 1.7 billion people account for a third of the world's population.
"We are all familiar with the scandal of agricultural subsidies," McKinnon said.
"The US, Europe and Japan dish out farm subsidies at the rate of one billion (dollars) a day, thus depriving developing nations of being able to trade their way out of poverty.
Bureau Report
"And in a 'development round' it is criminal to expect developing countries to accept a raw deal," he said in a speech at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth finance ministers meeting in the Brunei capital.
"We need to see a spirit of generous globalisation adopted by negotiators before they next meet in the coming months."
The majority of the Commonwealth's member nations are still developing and agriculture plays a crucial role in their economies.
Of the 54 members, only four -- Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom -- are considered developed even though the grouping's 1.7 billion people account for a third of the world's population.
"We are all familiar with the scandal of agricultural subsidies," McKinnon said.
"The US, Europe and Japan dish out farm subsidies at the rate of one billion (dollars) a day, thus depriving developing nations of being able to trade their way out of poverty.
Bureau Report