Arab group to UNCTAD X calls for technical assistance to complete free trade area
Regional, Politics, 2/16/2000

The Arab group participating in the 10th session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD X) currently underway in the Thai capital, Bangkok, has called UNCTAD to enhance its technical assistance to Arab states to help them materialize the free trade area among them.

The call was launched during a meeting of the Arab group held in Bangkok Tuesday under the chairmanship of Moroccan Minister of Trade and Industry Alami Tazi and head of the Moroccan delegation to the UNCTAD X.

Eleven Arab states have enforced the first phase of the Greater Arab Free Trade Zone Agreement and started last year putting into effect the executive program of the pact, which involved a 10 percent cut in tariffs starting from January 1999.

Trade exchange among these states accounts for around 80 percent of inter-Arab trade.

Signatories to the pact are committed to phasing out customs duties by the end of the year 2007.

The Arab group meeting stressed the importance of UNCTAD technical assistance so that Arab states benefit from the globalization process and defend better their interests in the coming international trade negotiations.

In the speech he delivered on behalf of Morocco before the UNCTAD X on Tuesday, Alami Tazi pointed out that several developing countries, especially in Africa, have not benefited from the globalization advantages nor succeeded to anchor in world economy. These countries, he said, are facing up acute challenges especially in struggle against poverty and illiteracy.

He deplored the drop in assistance to development which went down from $60 million in 1995 to $49 million in 1997 and pointed out that the heavy debt burden is still crippling development efforts.

The Moroccan official, who underlined that the role of third world countries should not be marginalized, called for new forms of development financing such as debt alleviation and increase of public assistance to development, and urged for more backing to developing countries in the coming negotiations. He voiced hope that UNCTAD would become a genuine globalization forum where the various sides would be able to trade viewpoints and make suggestions on most appropriate solutions.

Previous Stories:
  $13.2 billion in inter-Arab trade, consumptian dominates econommies   (2/11/2000)
  US trade representative on coming WTO round   (11/29/1999)
  Meeting for African trade ministers in Algeria today   (9/23/1999)

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