Activists oppose inclusion of new issues at WTO meeting

NAIROBI: Activists have raised fresh concerns over the inclusion of new issues in the Nairobi conference, which they claim will put an end to the Doha Development Round (DDR).

Developed nations led by the US and the EU are pushing for a change in the agenda of the World Trade Organisation negotiations, saying that some elements of the Doha Round had been overtaken by time.

"The real reason developed countries want to kill the DDR is because they want to put 'new issues' on the table. And the only reason developing countries should try to reaffirm the DDR is to prevent these 'new issues' from being introduced," said Antonio Tujan of IBON International.

The Doha Round of negotiations encompass issues that are important in addressing developing country concerns including agricultural trade, tariff and non-tariff barriers, industrial tariffs, and contentions over US and EU attempts to maintain subsidies for their own agricultural products.

Developed countries had earlier expressed opposition against including Doha commitments in the the post-Nairobi programme. The new issues they are promoting for inclusion are liberalisation of government procurement, investments, competition policy and the privatisation of State-owned industries.

Under government procurement for instance, the developed nations want suppliers from all around the world to be invited to take part in any tenders, irrespective of size.

Tujan said that implementing 'new issues' would severely limit the capacity of developing countries to actualise national development policies.

Marjorie Pamintuan of Asia-Pacific Research Network also warned the move would worsen matters. "Introducing these 'new issues' at the negotiating table does not only signal the demise of the Doha Round but also the death of development as we know it," she said.