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DEVELOPING-COUNTRY
GROUPS JOINT STATEMENT
The G-20, the
G-33, the NAMA-11, the ACP Group, the LDCs, the African Group, the
Small, Vulnerable Economies (SVEs), the CARICOM, and the Cotton-4
Geneva, 20 July
2008
The Ministers
and Senior Officials of the G-20 and the coordinators of the G-33,
the NAMA-11, the ACP Group, the Least Developed Countries (LDCs),
the African Group, the Small, Vulnerable Economies (SVEs), the CARICOM
and the Cotton-4 met in Geneva on 20 July 2008 to review the situation
in the Doha Round at this decisive moment and to enhance coordination
among developing country groups on issues of mutual interest.
They stressed
that developed countries must show leadership by indicating from
the outset their readiness to fulfill the mandate for a Development
Round. At the same time, they expressed their commitment to play
a role in the negotiations and make a contribution in line with
the development dimension of the mandate.
The Groups emphasized
that the full integration of developing countries into the multilateral
trading system will only be achieved if the WTO reflects their development
needs and concerns. This is why the Doha mandate placed the needs
of developing countries at the heart of the work program.
They also emphasized
the central role of the agriculture negotiations in the Doha Development
Agenda. Most of the world's farmers live in developing countries.
They continue to be burdened by gigantic trade-distorting subsidies
and prohibitive market access barriers in developed countries. Addressing
these distortions effectively is the most important unfinished task
in the WTO.
The Groups recalled
that the development dimension of the Doha mandate calls for greater
effort from the developing countries. They also stressed that negotiations
must ensure that there is a comparably high level of ambition in
market access for agriculture and NAMA, to be achieved in a balanced
and proportionate manner consistent with the principle of S&D.
Although Agriculture
and NAMA are the central elements of negotiations this week, they
emphasized the importance of the overall balance in the DDA and
of meaningful development-oriented results in other areas.
The Groups noted
that S&D is an integral horizontal component of the negotiations
in all areas. They stressed the importance of less than full reciprocity
in reduction commitments, flexibilities and other concerns in NAMA
for industrial development in developing countries. They emphasized
the vital role of SPs, in addressing the food security, rural development
and
livelihood concerns of developing countries, and of the SSM.
The Groups acknowledged
the importance of the full implementation of the Hong Kong Ministerial
Decision on Duty Free and Quota Free market access, the simplification
of rules of origin and other issues raised by the LDCs. They underlined
the need to address the interests and concerns of NFIDCs.
They underscored
the need to find adequate responses to the trade-related issues
raised by the SVEs. They also underlined that the particular concerns
of recently acceded developing Members must be effectively addressed.
They recognized the necessity of addressing the issue of tropical
and alternative products according to the mandate. They also recognized
the mandate on long-standing preferences and the need to address
the different aspects of the issue of preference erosion. They highlighted
that the issue of cotton must be addressed ambitiously, expeditiously
and specifically in its trade-related and developments aspects,
on the basis of the proposals submitted by the Cotton-4.
The Groups pledged
to maintain the unity and cooperation among developing country groups.
They committed themselves to work constructively so as to reach
full modalities in Agriculture by the end of this week. They underlined
the need for a truly multilateral, transparent, and bottom-up process.
They reaffirmed the common objective to ensure an outcome that delivers
on the development dimension of the Doha Round.
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