Concluding Press Communique of Ministerial Meeting on Re-Energising Doha – A Commitment to Development
- 04 Sept 2009
A two day Ministerial
meeting of more than 30 Ministers of WTO Member countries on “Re-Energising
Doha – A Commitment to Development” concluded here today. The meeting was
chaired by India’s Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr. Anand Sharma.
On the first day, 3rd September, there was a round
of statements by the coordinators of various coalition groups in the WTO and some member
countries. These included the Cairns Group, G-20, G-33, Cotton-4, G-10,
NAMA-11, African Group, African-Caribbean-Pacific Group (ACP), LDCs, Small and
Vulnerable Economies (SVEs) and CARICOM (Caribbean Community). In addition,
statements were made by many Member countries in their individual capacity,
including, the EC, China, the US, Brazil, South Korea, South Africa,
Australia.
Today, after statements by
a few more Members, including Argentina, Philippines, Thailand, Nigeria,
Uruguay, Malaysia, Ecuador, Cuba, Egypt, Pakistan, Peru, Mexico and Chile,
there was an open discussion on the process-related issues that had been
flagged by India at the outset.
There was a unanimous
affirmation of the need to expeditiously conclude the Doha Round, particularly
in the present economic situation. All agreed that there was a need to resume
talks in Geneva. The development dimension and the need to address the concerns
of LDCs was emphasized.
Acknowledging that the LDCs and the Small and
Vulnerable Economies had the most at stake in this Round, Ministers
collectively re-affirmed that development remains at the heart of the Doha
Round and called for placing all LDC concerns on a faster track for negotiating
convergence.
Ministers also called upon
Chief Negotiators/Senior Officials to meet in Geneva in September/early October
2009 to draw up a process of engagement, and, to work with the Chairs of the
Negotiating Groups to prepare an overall agenda of action.
Ministers called for
issue-based work plans for intensifying engagement of members on Agriculture
and NAMA to complete negotiations within a timeframe to be stipulated. They
also called for work plans in other areas covered in the Doha Round. There was
an unanimity of opinion that negotiations should resume on the basis of progress
achieved till December 2008.
They stressed the
importance and integrity of the multilateral process given its inclusiveness
and transparency.
In light of the 2010
timeline, Ministers suggested that there was a need to iteratively track
progress and to use all opportunities for political guidance, including at the
level of leaders.
Ministers were unanimously
appreciative of India’s effort to revive the flagging negotiations by bringing
together such a widely representative group of WTO groups representing
practically all shades of opinion and interests at the WTO in an effort to
bring about a broad-based consensus on the road ahead for the Doha Development
Round.