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Collective Efforts Crucial for Development in Global Trade Agenda

17 February 2005

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Winston Cox
Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Winston Cox.
Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Winston Cox has said it is important to ensure that collective efforts are made to achieve the common goal of putting development back at the top of the global trade agenda this year. He was addressing ambassadors from the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) at the ACP Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium, on 11 February 2005. Mr Cox stressed that the Commonwealth Secretariat is ready to play a role in mobilising support for global integration at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong in December 2005.

Mr Cox said the Commonwealth supports three areas in agricultural trade issues under discussion in the WTO, namely, the phasing out of export subsidies, the reduction of trade-distorting domestic support in developed countries, and the increase in market access for goods from developing countries. He underlined that: "Strong emphasis must be given to special and differential treatment for developing countries including lower tariffs and longer implementation periods; expanded technical assistance; and support to countries adversely affected by loss of preferences."

The Deputy Secretary-General pointed out the need to identify trade-related constraints and to ensure that trade policies support the overall development goals of each country. He stressed the importance of linking development plans to poverty reduction strategies, and said capacity gaps and development goals must also be clearly identified.

The erosion of trade preferences following multilateral trade negotiations would impact on the long-standing preferential access by developing countries to major export markets. Mr Cox stated this would be a "significantly negative external shock for many ACP economies."

A Commonwealth Secretariat study found that total losses could be around $2 billion a year among the most vulnerable economies. The high poverty levels, small market size and vulnerability of export sectors would cause preference-dependent economies to struggle to cope with the change in the trade regime. External assistance is needed to replace the losses from preference erosion and assist countries to adjust to the challenges of exporting to liberalised global markets.

The Deputy Secretary-General said the 'Hub and Spokes Project' can provide technical assistance to help build the capacity of ACP countries in trade policy formulation, negotiation and implementation. This project is a partnership between the Commonwealth Secretariat, l'Agence Intergouvernementale de la Francophonie and the European Commission, with the support of the ACP Secretariat. The goal is to promote the effective participation of ACP countries in international trade negotiations and reinforce their capacity to formulate trade policy in compliance with their overall development strategy.

"Issues in trade-related capacity-building and technical assistance are diverse, complex and in constant evolution, bringing into play issues such as trade in services, intellectual property rights and e-commerce. Capacity-building support is needed to translate potential into actual gains particularly in areas such as agriculture, market access of non-agricultural products such as textiles, temporary movement of persons and other areas where the benefits of developing countries are likely to be greatest," stated Mr Cox.

Apart from assisting the ACP states in helping to build their capacity in handling negotiations in the WTO's Doha Development Round, Mr Cox said these countries can use these skills for other trade-related negotiations such as the Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union; the Free Trade Area of the Americas negotiations for the Caribbean states; as well as other regional negotiations and integration efforts.

 

CNIS - the Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 222  16 February 2005

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