From Reuters
Developing countries are waiting to see how much Washington is willing to cut its farm subsidies before adjusting their stances in key negotiations this week, Indonesia's Trade Minister Mari Pangestu said on Monday.
The size of U.S. farm support is one of the major issues at talks that started at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Monday, where ministers are seeking a breakthrough in the nearly 7-year-old negotiations for a new global trade pact.
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab earlier signaled the United States would contribute to a successful outcome of the Doha round talks by cutting is agricultural subsidies.
"We are looking for a concrete offer on the table which hasn't come out yet. We are looking for U.S. leadership on this issue," Pangestu, whose country chairs the G-33 group of developing nations, told Reuters in an interview.
The level of U.S. subsidies is sensitive because developing countries say they squeeze their own farmers out of the market.
Pangestu, an economist, said rich-country subsidies were one of several factors behind the current food crisis because they depressed prices artificially, discouraging farmers from producing or from investing in technology to improve productivity. The result is declining food supply, she said.
SPECIAL PRODUCTS
For the G-33 group, formed to fight for better treatment for developing countries in the WTO deal, two of the most important issues are proposals known as special products and the special safeguard mechanism.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
There needs to be joined-up thinking in development of WTO agreements. The impact of policies on food securities shows that human rights norms that have already been agreed are not being respected. The WTO and other International Governmental Organisations, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, arguably have a responsibility in international law (through their member states) to respect these norms. Current case studies from Cambodia and Haiti show how this has not happened. There is a danger that WTO will once again ignore human rights obligations as nations put their own economic interests first, including the right to food. For further information on this and the Simultaneous Policy campaign, which aims to overcome the fear of economic disadvantage, see:
http://globaljusticeideas.blogspot.com/2008/07/cambodia-haiti-food-security.html
Post a Comment