Commonwealth disappointed by setback in Doha Round Talks

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said 30 July 2008 that Tuesday night’s news represents a serious challenge to the fact of globalisation, and to the mindset of globalism, which sees the world and humanity as joined, and which forges collective responses in shared situations.

“The globalised and globalist Commonwealth of 53 nations – a third of whose citizens live in poverty – is greatly disappointed,” Mr Sharma said in a statement.

“It is very unfortunate that at a time of global concerns, especially over food, fuel and financial turbulence, the member states of the WTO could not produce a collective outcome. This setback should not be allowed to undermine the concept of multilateralism, and the potentially large gains to be made by the global economy,” he said.

“Trade is the acknowledged route out of poverty, and the burden of the failure to reach commonly-agreed conclusions is largely borne by the least developed countries and the small and vulnerable states, which can only progress in a more development-friendly multilateral trading system,” he added..

“Despite the current impasse, it is important that the advances already made over seven years are not lost. We want to see an early harvest of progress already made, for instance in meeting the deadline for the end of the worst of EU agricultural subsidies; in seeing the US honour its commitment to end cotton export subsidies; and in least developed countries having improved access in exporting into the markets of developed countries. For the poorest, smallest and most vulnerable states, all these are partial gains on which to build,” he said.

Mr Sharma said the stalling of the negotiations also had implications for the prospects of poorer countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Developed economies had to remember that they had committed to helping poorer developing countries meet the MDGs.” he said,. “This is a process which would be enhanced by a successful Doha Round, as well as increased levels of development assistance.”

“We call for a resumption of the Round as early as possible. We also emphasise that a fair, equitable and development-oriented outcome requires an inclusive negotiating process which gives genuine voice to all, and especially to smaller and poorer countries. The world’s collective response to its collective challenges demands nothing less.”

Key Links:

• Secretary-General
• Economics and Trade