WTO talks in trouble

As the meeting winds down, it seems more and more likely that there will be no breakthrough on these issues, and as a result no advancement towards the creation of a free and fair global market that is anywhere near a level playing field.

The concern over agricultural subsidies has been a long-standing one and was catapulted to the forefront of the world's consciousness during the acrimonious WTO summit in Cancun two years ago. The intervening two years and simple notions of fairness, justice, and equity have not however ameliorated the problem. The developed countries are still refusing to lower their agricultural subsidies so that farmers in Africa and Asia are able to compete.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Given the tiny proportion of the developed world economy that comprises its agricultural sector, compared to the rather large part of the economy the sector comprises in the developing world, this continued intransigence is regrettable and calls into question whether the developed countries have any agenda other than self-interest.

Similarly, the push for quota and duty-free access to markets of the developing countries that 15 LDCs had made as a bloc seems destined for defeat. These measures have been granted by the US to certain African and Caribbean countries, and would have gone some distance towards alleviating poverty and providing opportunity in the countries that had requested them.

In short, it seems that we are back to square one. When the chips are down, the developed world seems content to circle the wagons to maintain its position of privilege and advantage, gained through centuries of exploitation of the developing world. The fact that their policies are unfair and that the burden is put on impoverished third world farmers and labourers seems not to concern them at all.

If this attitude of narrow self-interest at the expense of the interests of the billions of the world's poor is maintained, it will be a long time before we see anything approaching a free and fair trading regimen that allows all countries to compete in the world market on a level playing field and gain from it equitably.