The New Nation - Internet Edition

As is reported in the media, Bangladesh called upon the world community for ensuring unrestricted market access for all products of all the least developed countries. Dhaka made this call at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77 at the UN headquarters on Friday evening. Foreign Adviser expressed the hope that the key development deliveries, particularly duty-free and quota-free market access and support for productive capacity building for LDCs would be pursued vigorously. At the same time, he called upon the advanced countries to stick to the promises about quantity and quality of assistance to be given to vulnerable countries to mitigate the problems arising out of soaring food prices and climate change.

The Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation held in Doha in 2001 declared as the Doha Development Round was marked by a core concern that the multilateral trading system should benefit the developing countries. The Doha declaration pledged to enable these countries get a legitimate share of the world trade through improved access of their products to developed country markets through reduced or zero import tariffs and withdrawal of domestic and export subsidies given by developed countries. Restrictive measures against LDCs go against the spirit of globalisation and distort market .

Due to stubborn refusal to cut farm subsidies and withdraw tariff on import of farm products from developing countries, the Doha trade negotiation held last July, like the previous ones, failed to bear fruits. Washington made its commitment conditional to the role of Brazil, The developed countries give LDCs assistance in different forms but when the question of trade comes, they take a discouraging stand. Whatever assistance is given must aim at building productive capacity in LDCs. The developed countries should withdraw all sorts of restrictions on LDC products so that the developing countries can build their productive capacity and stand on a solid footing.

Ariful Huq

Dhaka