‘The present geopolitical picture in South Asia is worrying but trade and economic cooperation could certainly help South Asia’ said Professor Gilbert Etienne, Professor Emeritus (India, South Asia) IHEID. He was delivering the inaugural address at an advocacy meeting ‘South Asia: Stakes and Role in the Global Trading System – Doha Round and Beyond’ organised by CUTS International on January 13, 2009, in Geneva.
More than 40 participants from different country missions to the WTO, inter-governmental organisation, NGOs, and other institutions took part in the deliberations. The meeting was divided into two sessions. First session was chaired by Patrick Low, Director WTO, who asked whether there was a viable way of taking cognizance of emerging issues without undermining the rule of the WTO? The session gave an overview of the project titled South Asia Forum for International Trade (SAFIT II) and the emerging issues facing the South Asian countries in the global trading system. The project is being supported by OXFAM Novib. Second session, chaired by Manzoor Ahmed, Director, FAO Liasion Office with the United Nations, mulled over the possible way forward to face the emerging challenges in the global trading system vis-à-vis South Asia.
Every crisis is an opportunity, said U. S. Bhatia, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO, India. According to him South Asia needs to engage in economic integration to be globally competitive. Debapriya Bhattacharya, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO, Bangladesh said that the WTO is not about round but has a more systemic role. He explained the traditional as well as frontier issues faced by the global trading system and stressed that there is a difference the way to understand an issue and a negotiating issue.
Teepu Mahabat Khan, Acting Permanent Representative to the WTO, Pakistan emphasised that there is a need for rebalancing of a in institutions including the WTO, while Ambassador Perera of Sri Lanka narrated his country’s experience with liberalisation so far and opined that there is a need to diversify the export basket of the region in general and Sri Lanka in particular. According to Ambassador Bhattarai, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO, Nepal, cross border connectivity with South Asia, unrestricted market access and success of Doha round is essential for the region. Many participants appreciated the initiative taken by CUTS to bring together Ambassadors and others from South Asia for such an important discussion, and some hoped that CUTS could continue to facilitate such a discussion.
The event was concluded with an excellent rapporteuring by Veena Jha, visiting professional fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies University of Warwick.
‘The present geopolitical picture in South Asia is worrying but trade and economic cooperation could certainly help South Asia’ said Professor Gilbert Etienne, Professor Emeritus (India, South Asia) IHEID. He was delivering the inaugural address at an advocacy meeting ‘South Asia: Stakes and Role in the Global Trading System – Doha Round and Beyond’ organised by CUTS International on January 13, 2009, in Geneva.
More than 40 participants from different country missions to the WTO, inter-governmental organisation, NGOs, and other institutions took part in the deliberations. The meeting was divided into two sessions. First session was chaired by Patrick Low, Director WTO, who asked whether there was a viable way of taking cognizance of emerging issues without undermining the rule of the WTO? The session gave an overview of the project titled South Asia Forum for International Trade (SAFIT II) and the emerging issues facing the South Asian countries in the global trading system. The project is being supported by OXFAM Novib. Second session, chaired by Manzoor Ahmed, Director, FAO Liasion Office with the United Nations, mulled over the possible way forward to face the emerging challenges in the global trading system vis-à-vis South Asia.
Every crisis is an opportunity, said U. S. Bhatia, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO, India. According to him South Asia needs to engage in economic integration to be globally competitive. Debapriya Bhattacharya, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO, Bangladesh said that the WTO is not about round but has a more systemic role. He explained the traditional as well as frontier issues faced by the global trading system and stressed that there is a difference the way to understand an issue and a negotiating issue.
Teepu Mahabat Khan, Acting Permanent Representative to the WTO, Pakistan emphasised that there is a need for rebalancing of a in institutions including the WTO, while Ambassador Perera of Sri Lanka narrated his country’s experience with liberalisation so far and opined that there is a need to diversify the export basket of the region in general and Sri Lanka in particular. According to Ambassador Bhattarai, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO, Nepal, cross border connectivity with South Asia, unrestricted market access and success of Doha round is essential for the region. Many participants appreciated the initiative taken by CUTS to bring together Ambassadors and others from South Asia for such an important discussion, and some hoped that CUTS could continue to facilitate such a discussion.
The event was concluded with an excellent rapporteuring by Veena Jha, visiting professional fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies University of Warwick.
For more information, please contact:
Atul Kaushik, Director, CUTS Geneva Resource Centre, +41227346080, ak@cuts.org