GENEVA: Global trade is not the main cause for the loss of manufacturing jobs in places like the United States and needs to be defended from its critics, the chief of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) said on Wednesday.

Director-General Roberto Azevedo rebuffed arguments made by some politicians around the world, such as US presidential candidate Donald Trump, that global trade deals are destroying jobs or causing them to move to lower-cost countries.

He pointed to recent studies showing that as much as 90 per cent of the US manufacturing jobs recently lost were due to new technologies, innovation or improvements in efficiency. “It had nothing to do with imports, it had nothing to do with trade competition,” he told reporters after a WTO general council meeting.

“I don’t think we do enough in making the case for trade because we think trade is so obviously positive for any economy. It’s like trying to argue with a friend that he needs to breathe.”

He declined to comment on weekend remarks by Trump to NBC TV suggesting Trump might pull the US out of the WTO if its rules prevent his hopes to set fees on US companies that ship jobs abroad. “I don’t intend to get into a debate,” Azevedo said. “I’m not a candidate.”

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2016

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.