WTO permits developing countries to produce cheap drugs for protecting public health
Regional, Economics, 11/16/2002

Egypt's Foreign Trade Minister Youssef Boutros Ghali described as "an important achievement" for Egypt, developing and the least-developing countries, the consensus among participants in the WTO ministerial meetings on the executive board of issues of pharmaceuticals and public health.

Ghali, who leads the Egyptian delegation to the mini-conference, said this viewpoint comes in implementation of the declaration of the 4th WTO ministerial conference, held in Doha in November 2001, on the right of member states to take all suitable measures to protect public health.

Sydney conference has determined the main points pertaining to the right of developing and the least-developing countries to produce special pharmaceuticals needed for protecting public health and fighting epidemics in another nation with reduced prices that suit the living standards of the inhabitants.

Twenty-five countries of the 145 member states took part in the WTO ministerial meeting, which opened early Thursday at the Olympic village of Sydney. The first session tackled the issues of pharmaceuticals and public health.

The conference aims at preparing for the WTO conference that will be held in Mexico in September 2003 to follow up the progress achieved in the multilateral negotiations held following Doha conference in November 2001.

Reliable sources at the WTO told MENA that Sydney conference is highly important in settling any disputes among member states over floated issues and preparing for Mexico conference that will be attended by the 145 member states.

A group of about 500 protesters confronted police at barricades near the meeting venue on Friday and tore down a section of fencing. Police responded by crossing the barricades to push back the shouting protesters.

"This is the (New South Wales) state government using its police to defend the rich and powerful behind these fences," said that protester Brain Webb as police pushed protesters back.

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