Consultative Mechanisms Wanting in Trade Policy Making: High Level Panel

November 30, 2009, Geneva, Switzerland
“Development-friendly outcome of the Doha Round can provide solutions to the social and economic problems faced by developing countries in the wake of the global economic crisis”, said Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary General of UNCTAD while launching a book titled, Reforming the World Trade Organisation: Developing Countries in the Doha Round, authored by Faizel Ismail, Head of Delegation of South Africa to the WTO, and published jointly by CUTS and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation.

Supachai also urged serious deliberations to consider the future shape of the WTO once the Doha Round is over. Supachai’s views were echoed by Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General CUTS International in his comment that the “time is ripe to address the WTO structural reform issues” because DDA is faltering and may take more than an year to conclude.

The book launched on the eve of the 7th Ministerial Conference of the WTO examines developing country perspectives regarding use of the Doha Round negotiations for addressing past imbalances and inequalities against the backdrop of an insider’s account of the WTO negotiations.

The author in his introductory speech humbly termed the book as a small contribution towards reforming the institution. It, however, came in for lavish praise by the dignitaries present. Supachai applauded Ismail for his suggestions on re-engineering the WTO so that it achieves the fundamental objective of promoting development while Rob Davies, Minister of Trade and Industry, South Africa, described the book colourfully as “chronicles of the role of developing countries in the WTO: written from the trenches”.

Mehta while concluding the event reminded everybody that WTO reform should not be an empty slogan. He acknowledged the efforts of the book in setting the ball rolling and providing a basis for generation of further momentum towards meaningful reform of the organisation.
For more information, please contact:
Pradeep S Mehta, +91 98290 13131, psm@cuts.org
Shruti Mittal, +91 91667 48610, SM5@cuts.org