WTO must facilitate `Bali Package 2013`: CSO

 

 

Risingbd Desk: Today thirty Civil Society rights group including farmers and labour Organizations (CSO) have urged government to position to implement the “Bali ministerial package 2013” through Doha Development Agenda to achieve common global goal through WTO negotiation.

 

They also criticize present biased & unfair role of WTO and demanded Duty Free & Quota Free Market access for LDCs to enhance their trade and export in global market. They placed these demand in a seminar at national press club Dhaka titled “Stop Corporate globalization.

 

WTO 10th ministerial conference: Expectation of LDCs”. The seminar has organized in associate with thirty civil society organization led by EquityBD.

 

Syed Aminul Hoque has moderated the seminar and Md. Mujibul Haque Munir of COAST Trust presented the key note paper. Md. Tazul Islam Chowdhury, MP and Chairman of Ministry of Commerce Parliament Standing committee were present as the Chief Guest. Among others Monowar Mostafa of Development Synergy Institute, Asjadul Kibria of Bangladesh Economic Association, Dr. Mesbauddin Ahamed  of Jatio Sromik Joot, Abul hossion  of Hawkers  Federation, Aminur rasul Babul of Unnayan Dhara Trust, Monjur Ahmed of FBCCI also spoke at the occasion.

 

Mujibul Hoque Munir said, WTO is playing duel role and biased to the developed country. Some rich countries especially US and their allies are trying to set aside permanently the entire development mandate of the Doha Round, and Common Package of “Bali Agreement” adopted in 2013 WTO conference.

 

The “Bali Package” generally agreed to ensure duty free & quota free market access for LDCs to increase their trade, but unfortunately, WTO has backtracked from this agenda. A balance trade rules is very important to reduce poverty of LDCs and to achieve Sustainable Development Goals adopted by UN. It’s only possible to overhauling the WTO present rules to make the global trading system more compatible with people-centred development.

 

Aszadul Kibria said, that global trade policy facilitating by WTO, must be evaluated by whether it contributes to global goals such as food security and food sovereignty, sustainable development and financial stability to create employment and reduction of poverty & inequality in LDCs. WTO does not looking this matter, instead playing vested role to serve the developed countries and their corporate interest.

 

Monowar Mustofa said, free movement of labour must be an agenda of the conference. Dr. Mesbauddin Ahamed   said, USA never gives us duty free market access for our garments in past and even suspended their GSP facilities just hindering our development trend and effort, that clear violating the WTO rules. Our government should protest in upcoming negotiation and demand compensation accordingly.

 

Aminur Rasul Babul said, WTO has been creating block for developing and LDCs to provide necessary subsidies in their agriculture, on the other hand no talk about subsidies giving by the rich countries. E.g. around US$ 280 billon are subsidised every year in EU agriculture especially for their dairy sector. So we should follow no binding rule following the EU and subsidies our agriculture and own policy for food stocking process until food security achieved.

 

Monjur Ahmed said, to get benefit from the WTO negotiations we will have to be technically smart.  Doha Development Agenda must be agreed first.

 

risingbd/Dhaka/Dec 8, 2015/Shafiq/Nasim