WTO chief urges end to farming subsidies in developed countries

The World Trade Organization's top official urged developed countries to drop domestic agricultural subsidies, arguing this would lead to developing countries' earning at least three times more in exports than the international aid they currently receive.

Kenyan daily "The Nation" said Mike Moore, the WTO director-general, told the Press in Nairobi that allowing developing countries to export agricultural goods to Western countries that currently subsidize their farmers was the quickest way to increase employment and reduce poverty in Africa.

"If we removed those agricultural subsidies, that would return maybe three to five times more than all the overseas development assistance put together. This would return eight times more than all the debt relief," Moore said. "So the (anti-globalization) protesters should be protesting about agricultural subsidies not just about debt relief."

Moore was in Kenya for a two-day visit to follow-up on decisions made during a world trade ministers meeting in Doha, Qatar in November. He is discussing how developing countries can develop stronger negotiating teams ahead of a new round of global trade talks so that they can fight to make agricultural subsidies illegal under free-trade rules.

The WTO has set up a voluntary trust fund to help developing countries strengthen their negotiating teams and is holding a meeting of potential donors in the first week of March, hoping to raise $9 million. The United States has already pledged $1 million.

Moore has already visited Cote D'Ivoire and will go to Botswana and South Africa after Kenya.