Developing countries should protect their interests in WTO, says African-Caribbean-Pacific Conference

A meeting of African, Caribbean and Pacific Ocean Group of States held here agreed that Developing countries should join efforts to protect their interest and more effectively participate in the decision-making process in the WTO as they constitute about 75% of the WTO membership.

The Indian news agency (PTI) reports that Jamaican foreign trade minister Anthony Hylton, who is the Chairman of the ACP Trade Ministers Group, now on a visit to India, had discussions on WTO-related issues with India's Commerce Minister Murasoli Maran. ACP Trade Ministers Group has 77 member countries out of which 55 are WTO members.

Both Ministers were of the view that negotiations on any new issue should only be taken up at Doha if there is a consensus among the members.

"Such a consensus can come about only if implementation issues are resolved satisfactorily, contentious non-trade issues are kept off the table and when the developing countries are convinced about the need for the inclusion of any new item on the WTO agenda," it said.

Forcing any new issue, without consensus, may risk a failure at Doha. Unlike GATT, WTO is a forum for continuous negotiations which can begin on any trade-related item whenever there is a consensus.