ISLAMABAD: With China’s admission, it’s still an unequal world in WTO: speakers
ISLAMABAD, Nov 28: China’s admission in the WTO led to equity but the conference which concluded at Doha had not succeeded in its stated objective of further liberalising and streamlining international trade in a systematic manner, said speakers at a seminar to discuss “Post-Doha negotiations: Impact on South Asian Region” organized by SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the collaboration of Friedric Nauman Stiftung on Wednesday.
The additional secretary in the ministry of commerce Khalid Saeed was the chief guest on the occasion. President of Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Iftikhar Ali Malik, joint secretary in the ministry of commerce Qasim Niaz, consultant Akhtar Mehmood, executive coordinator Network Dr Zafar Mirza, consultant Asian Development Bank M.A. Bajwa, senior lawyer Mansoor Hasan Khan, consultant Export Promotion Bureau and Programme Coordinator SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry spoke on the occasion.
In his welcome speech, Iftikhar Malik referring to the unequal opportunities available to developing countries said “it is difficult to make yourself heard in the WTO which is more interested in framing policies of protectionism suitable to developed nations. In these circumstances, Pakistan must make into the global trade regulators failing which our miseries would continue to intensify, he added.
His views were echoed by the additional secretary commerce Khalid Saeed who agreed that there had been modest gains, China’s admission in this world organization being one of them but “developing countries including South Asia were greatly apprehensive about issues like environmental and labour brought up as smoke screen for protectionist designs of developed countries”.
Khalid Saeed further said that issues like relationship between WTO rules and trade obligations and negotiations on labour which find a place in the Ministerial Declaration despite opposition from developing countries were aimed at unfairly taking away our advantage of lower labour costs, he added.
Despite these inequalities which he had mentioned continued dialogue and negotiation was still a preferred policy to stay in the loop of the world trading system, said Khalid Saeed who was the deputy head of delegation from Pakistan to Doha Ministerial Conference.
Speaking on competition policy, labour and environment issues, M.A. Bajwa said that in South Asia regulatory regimes were opaque and, therefore, multilateral exercise at transparency would be helpful for both the government and business community and thus end the disadvantage faced by the business community. He urged the business community in Pakistan to ensure transparent regimes and combat undesirable business practice.
The export promotion bureau consultant Suri spoke on the subject of trade in services. He said that services sector accounted for 60 per cent of global production and employment and 20 per cent of the total trade of the world. In Pakistan, the share of services sector had increased from 40% to 50% and was thus the second most important source of foreign exchange earning.
However, he apprehended that the events of September 11 would have an adverse impact and dampen further liberalisation of the services’ sector and Pakistan which is a frontline state in the international strike against terror “will be particularly targeted.”
On the subject concerning agreement on agriculture, the commerce ministry consultant Akhtar Mehmood spoke on an optimistic note. He said that the experience at Doha had brought out clearly that the developing countries had become an important force in worldwide trade negotiations and their views could no longer be easily ignored by the industrialised world. He added that though the WTO negotiations entailed burden some expenses ‘there was no other alternative for us but to strengthen our participation in this demanding enterprise.’— Jonaid Iqbal
