Collapse of WTO negotiations is victory for developing countries - TWN

Accra, Sept. 18, GNA - Third World Network (TWN), a civil society organisation, on Thursday said that the collapse of the World Trade Organisation's negotiations in Cancun, Mexico, was a significant victory for developing countries and an indication that they could stand the bullying of the big rich countries.

Dr Yaw Graham, Co-ordinator of TWN, told a press conference called to share highlights of the talks, that the ability of the developing countries to stick to their positions even in the face of pressure marked a turning point in North-South international economic relations.

"It is a watershed development achieved through learning and interaction of governments with their civil society partners," he said. He said the record of two Ministerial failures out of three meetings should tell the rich nations of the international trade system that time was running out for their imposition of narrow interest on the rest of the world.

The breakdown in Cancun is blamed on lack of consensus on the Singapore issues, especially those relating to investment and competition and the general poor treatment of developing countries concerns on agricultural subsidies by the rich economies.

Apart from the success chalked in Doha, the ministerial talks in Seattle in 1999 also collapsed under similar circumstances. "This failure should signal the beginning of a new way of interaction in international affairs based on a relationship of genuine and mutual respect."

Dr Graham stressed that the "defensive victory" of the developing countries should emboldened them not to allow themselves to be pushed back against the wall since developed countries would through bilateral negotiations try to influence and break their ranks.

Mr Tetteh Hormeku, Head of Programmes of TWN, said for the first time in many ministerial meetings African leaders were able to present a united position.

He said the unity of purpose displayed at the conference would indicate how the countries are able to hold out their own in the decision-making process to ensure that the scale did not weigh against them.