Dhaka wants LDCs maintain united front on common challenges

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Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Faruk Khan, also leader of the Bangladesh delegation to the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference, called for a proactive role by the LDCs in advancing the Doha negotiations, including the agenda-setting, reports UNB. He made the call at the LDCs' (least developed countries) Ministerial Meeting held Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland, according to a message received in Dhaka Thursday. Khan said it is crucial for the LDCs to maintain a united front on their common challenges and priorities. He, as the Coordinator of the LDC Group in the WTO, chaired the LDC Trade Ministers' meeting. At the meeting, ministers of the LDCs adopted a declaration underlining the importance of meaningful and effective integration of the LDCs in the multilateral trading system. The declaration also voiced its concern over the current impasse in the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). It also called for, among other issues, full and early of the decisions taken in the Hong Kong Ministerial on duty- and quota-free access. The ministers, in the declaration, also sought support for the adoption of the LDC Services Waiver at the 8th Ministerial Conference, and emphasised the need for further extending the transition period, beyond June 30, 2013, far the TRIPS obligations. The declaration called for developing a comprehensive and time-bound work programme for making progress in the negotiations on the possible 'early harvest' issues with clear development focus and upholding the multilateral and consensus-based decision making process. Bangladesh delegation included Commerce Secretary M Ghulam Hussain, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to Geneva M Abdul Hannan, DG of WTO Cell, Ministry of Commerce, Amitava Chakraborty, president, BGMEA M Shafiul Islam (Mohiuddin) and Mustafizur Rahman, chief executive of CPD. The Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister also chaired a Saarc Commerce Ministers' meeting where a 'Communique' was adopted. Like LDC trade ministers, Saarc commerce ministers in the Communique also expressed their deep concern at the present impasse in the DDA. The ministers also called for implementing Hong Kong decisions on duty-free and quota-free market access of the LDCs without further delay, preferably by 2012. They called for full and comprehensive decisions to address the concerns of Disproportionately Affected Countries (DACs) of Saarc. Apart from these two important meetings, Khan had bilateral meetings with Minister of Commerce of China Chen Denning and Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textile of India Anand Sharma, and discussed bilateral issues.