Conference Background & Context
List of Participants

Conference Write Up

Coordinated with Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS), India, Oxfam GB, Pakistan Program and SAWTEE and organized a regional seminar on “ WTO Post-Cancun Developments: Options for South Asia”. Speakers from all the SAARC countries from government and civil society participated.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, the Minister for Privatization and Investment said no country has progressed without being part of global stream and globalization is unstoppable as the basic desire of people is to prosper through trade. "The South Asian region has lost much time; therefore we need to do a lot of catching to match with the level of economic development of other regions", said Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, while delivering the keynote address at SACSNITI (South Asian Civil Society Network on International Trade Issues) annual conference titled "WTO Post-Cancun Developments: Options for South Asia” being held at Islamabad". "WTO needs to be better understood as some of the decisions are going to have far reaching impact on the lives of people of this region", the minister further emphasized.

The Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Mr. Shiv Shankar Menon in his introductory remarks underlined the importance of regional cooperation in South Asia. He further opined that efforts towards regional cooperation are now getting necessary governmental support as well.

Earlier, CUTS-International Secretary General, Pradeep S. Mehta, in his speech highlighted the specific objectives of the conference. The SACSNITI, which was launched three years back, is a unique partnership between research organizations and advocacy groups in South Asian region. The International Development Research Centre, Canada, provided support for this initiative.

The Conference analyzed the Framework Agreement of 31st July 2004 in which all countries agreed to carry out detailed negotiations on the basis of the parameters, laid out in the Framework Agreement. All participants expressed happiness that the stalemate of Cancun that had threatened the future of the WTO, had come to an end and that Doha Development Agenda was back on track.

The participants expressed happiness that the Singapore issues were now off the table, but believed that countries needed to explore the benefits of engaging in these issues at both bilateral and regional levels. They also expressed disappointment that the Agreement had not gone far enough in the services obligations by developed countries. Services are a key area of interest for developing countries especially in the case of Cross Border temporary movement of labour also known as MODE 4 services. Developed countries have continued to be protective in opening their labour markets up while being aggressive against developing countries in the case of goods and agriculture products.

While the removal of Quota system from 1 January 2005 was seen as positive in defeating the protectionist measures of developed countries, it was also acknowledged that Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were likely to suffer some losses, and their industries had to be more competitive if they needed to survive.

Advocacy unit coordinated with the other units and organized SACSNITI Conference and Press coverage of the SACSNITI conference was ensured. Daily press releases were given to all the newspapers and TV channels.

Speaking at the concluding session of the three-day conference organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Oxfam GB, Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) and South Asian on Trade, Environment and Economics (SAWTEE) on "WTO Post-Cancun Developments: Options for South Asia, the Minister said two thirds of Pakistan's exports comprise textile and clothing.

"We must prepare our exporters from security after post quota regime which will not go to affect us because we have already lowered our tariffs to reasonable level," the Minister added. Given the overview of the trade negotiations, the Minister said that trade negotiations at Geneva negotiations were landmark for international trade and some agreements are guaranteed in this regard in future. Cancun was sort of an artificial failure due to Singapore negotiations but than we shown some success at Geneva. He said that negotiations should take support of research to achieve on agreements while negotiations.

He admitted that there is a definite lack of awareness about WTO issue among general public but we are moving towards progress as issue is being debated in the parliament and public sector so intensively.

Responding to question Humayun Akhtar said, "We will not take trade disputes to dispute settlement forums of WTO but will resolve these issues bilaterally". He ruled out the concern of small farmers by civil society that Corporate Agriculture Farming (CAF) is going to negatively affect livelihoods of poor farmers and small agriculture sector. He said, "I am yet to see a living example of CAF in the country. We will protect our farmers with taking the point of view of civil society and research organizations."

Sajid Kazmi Advocacy Coordinator of SDPI closed the WTO experts moot and thanked the guests and said that presence of negotiators at the civil society conference is itself an acknowledgment of the efforts done by development sector in the pre and post WTO era.