World Trade deal only worth one Cent a day says Christian Aid
-15/12/05
A ídevelopment
World Trade deal only worth one Cent a day says Christian Aid
-15/12/05
A ídevelopment packageí now being negotiated at the World Trade Organization summit in Hong Kong would barely scratch the surface of global poverty, according to fresh analysis from development agency Christian Aid.
A key component of this package is ëImproved Market Accessí where rich countries would waive any tariffs or quotas on exports from Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
But according to a study of official UN figures, this move would only increase trade in each affected country by a maximum of four dollars per person a year.
“This deal would actually be worth a mere one cent per day for every person in the least developed countries and so is negligible,” said Claire Melamed, Christian Aidís senior trade analyst.
Ms Melamed said that while any move towards helping LDCs trade more fairly was positive, the deal being worked out in Hong Kong was virtually meaningless.
She warned that the one cent a day figure was a maximum because the analysis was based on every LDC gaining access to every rich market.
“In reality this figure is likely to be even lower because we know some poorer countries will not be allowed tariff and quota free access. The Americans, for example, are arguing they do not want to accept textiles from Bangladesh,” she said.
“Under no circumstances should LDCs make any concessions based on this deal.”
World Trade deal only worth one Cent a day says Christian Aid
-15/12/05
A ‘development package’ now being negotiated at the World Trade Organization summit in Hong Kong would barely scratch the surface of global poverty, according to fresh analysis from development agency Christian Aid.
A key component of this package is ëImproved Market Access’ where rich countries would waive any tariffs or quotas on exports from Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
But according to a study of official UN figures, this move would only increase trade in each affected country by a maximum of four dollars per person a year.
“This deal would actually be worth a mere one cent per day for every person in the least developed countries and so is negligible,” said Claire Melamed, Christian Aid’s senior trade analyst.
Ms Melamed said that while any move towards helping LDCs trade more fairly was positive, the deal being worked out in Hong Kong was virtually meaningless.
She warned that the one cent a day figure was a maximum because the analysis was based on every LDC gaining access to every rich market.
“In reality this figure is likely to be even lower because we know some poorer countries will not be allowed tariff and quota free access. The Americans, for example, are arguing they do not want to accept textiles from Bangladesh,” she said.
“Under no circumstances should LDCs make any concessions based on this deal.”