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Commonwealth launches new initiative to put development back into WTO trade talks

7 February 2005

The Commonwealth Secretariat hosted the first in a series of high profile events aimed at getting the development agenda back into the current round of trade talks taking place at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

United Kingdom's Minister for Trade Douglas Alexander with Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon and Deputy Secretary-General Winston Cox.
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The meeting, held at the Commonwealth Secretariat headquarters in London on 7 February was opened by Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon who said, "This event shows the Commonwealth's determination to put development first in international trade talks. This is the first in a series of high profile initiatives we are launching in order to bring trade issues to the top of the political agenda and help deliver a trade round that really does meet the needs of the developing world."

Reiterating the commitment of the European Union to tackling development issues in the next round of trade talks, the European Union Commissioner for Trade Peter Mandelson told the meeting, "I want to help make the year 2005 a landmark year for the world's poor, in which trade is put at the service of development." The Commissioner for Trade then announced that the European Commission is proposing a 20% increase in the budgets of both the € 10 million WTO support facility and the € 20 million Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Support Facility funded out of the European Development Fund (EDF). These facilities have assisted the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and regional economic groupings with their negotiations within the WTO and EPA frameworks.

The meeting also had presentations by the United Kingdom's Minister of State for Trade & Investment and Foreign Affairs Douglas Alexander; the Barbados Permanent Representative to the WTO, Ambassador Trevor Clarke and the Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Kamalesh Sharma. It was attended by London-based Commonwealth High Commissioners.

The next stage in this initiative will see the Secretary-General meeting the European Commission in Brussels next month.

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