Cancun World Trade Talks
The rich get richer while the poor get poorer and the rest of the world sits by and watches without affliction. Over three-quarters of the world's poor live in rural areas and are heavily dependant on agriculture. Over $300 billion is spent annually by richer nations supporting their own farmers, which is six times the amount which is spent on foreign aid.The Doha round was fighting to protect and come to the aid of second and third world nations by forging compromise between nations and developing countries.Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, the Doha round of trade talks began and was ambitious. This was an apparent achievement after the WTO's 1999 meeting in Seattle, when efforts to accomplish the same goals collapsed. The Doha round indicated a pro-poor message and was insistent on concentrating on developing and the development of second and third world nations.The Doha agenda's main focus was to help the poor but was also aimed to cut barriers in protectionist economic sectors including agriculture and services, to establish new rules in regards to globalization in areas such as investment and competition policy.Since November of 2001 little progress has been made in reg
Although the poorer nations are active with agricultural protectionism they cannot afford subsidies but the tariff rates are generally higher than that of a rich nation. It seems that with all the pros of the many highlights of the Doha round, many countries still have their own ideals. Also, it is of unanimous agreement amongst economists that free trade in services would have gains that would be larger than that if barriers on goods alone were lowered. It is unknown how far countries are willing to reduce trade barriers to benefit the poorer countries. S and EU looking like the bully and the poorer nations, the underdog. Though more WTO talks will be conducted in Geneva, it is apparent that "the setback of negotiations at Cancun apparently precipitated the forgoing of more regional partnerships 5", which in turn may "dampen enthusiasm for liberalization at the multilateral level 6" With all the setbacks, a positive Canada is negotiating bilateral pacts. The Group of 21, a merger of developing countries is making many demands yet unwilling to make sacrifices on their own part. With agreements left unmet, and frustration levels high, the push towards an expanded WTO deal dealing with everything from agricultural subsidies to investment is set aside-left on the backburner, yet again. This is creating ill feelings amongst all involved in the trade talks. Breaking the barriers between poor countries themselves would be beneficial. Progress cannot be made until compromises have been reached, "Without flexibility on the other wise, these talks will get very difficult," said the European Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler . The pressure is put on rich countries by agriculture. The developing world accounts for 80 percent of the world's population and approximately 15 percent of the world's economy.
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