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Agriculture Agreement fails to redress inequity
DOHA-Minister for Commerce and Industry Abdul Razak Dawood
Saturday said that the Agriculture Agreement concluded under
the Urguay Round has not redressed the inherent inequity.Abdul
Razak Dawood stated this while addressing the Ministerial
meeting of the "Friends of the Development Box" in Doha
(Qatar) on Saturday.
He regretted that the Agriculture sector remains full of
distortions caused by high Domestic Support, Export Subsidies,
Tariff Peaks, Tariff Escalations and other Non-Tariff Barriers
prevalent in the developed country markets. The Minister
further added that the Agreement on Agriculture, unfortunately
legitimized the trade distortive policies of few developed
countries while constraining the ability of a large number of
developing countries to protect their agriculture from the
cheap and subsidized imports.
He said that the agriculture is the backbone of the economies
of a large number of developing countries and the LDCs. He
added that it contributes the lion's share to their GDP.
However, he said due to the inbuilt bias, inequities, now
conferred by the Agreement the developing countries are unable
to pursue development objectives and diversification efforts
in the agriculture sector.
Razak Dawood said that with a view to redress the inherent
inequities in the Agreement on Agriculture and reflect the
concerns and priorities of a large number of developing
countries, our countries have tabled a proposal in the ongoing
negotiations on Agriculture entitled "Special and Differential
Treatment and A Development Box".
The Minister said that the proposal is aimed at safeguarding
the interests of developing countries in the ongoing
negotiations on Agriculture. It adds a development dimension,
which was conspicuously absent, to the rules and disciplines
as envisaged in the
Agreement on Agriculture, he remarked.
He asked the rich countries to adopt ``a balanced approach''
in the implementation of international trade agreements.
Minister for Commerce said the current economic slowdown is a
result of a systemic weakness of the world economy. ``If not
corrected it could further increase poverty'', he warned.
The Minister asked the industrialized countries represented in
the WTO, not to push the developing countries to open up
markets for their agricultural products. He reminded that
agriculture was the backbone of their economy and outright
liberalization would adversely affect poverty situation in
these states.
Pakistan is deeply concerned at the adoption of labour
standards which do not reflect the situation on the ground, he
said. The underline motive of such a move is protectionism.
The Minister said, instead, the developing countries should be
given preferential treatment in trade to reduce poverty.
Earlier, opening the conference, the WTO Director General Mike
Moore said that protectionism will create poverty and increase
international tension and conflicts. He warned that failure of
the conference will damage the whole concept of global
cooperation.
Moore announced that China is joining the WTO, which he
described as ``a major historic event''. A member of the
Chinese delegation Jong Zhignangi assured the conference that
Xhina will make a positive contribution to the WTO.
November 16, 2001
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