Aziz calls for waiving LDCs' debts, granting market access
Thursday, 25 October 2007
Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam Wednesday called upon the developed as well as developing nations to provide duty- and quota-free market access for all products from all LDCs (least developed countries) without any restrictions, reports UNB.
He also sought full cancellation of all outstanding debts,
both bilateral and multilateral, of all LDCs forthwith as the overall external debt situation of the LDCs remains a source of concern.
He was speaking on behalf of the 50 LDCs at a high-level dialogue on Financing for Development in the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York Wednesday.
The high-level dialogue of the General Assembly drew special attention of the international community. More than 100 countries took part in the dialogue, 35 of them were ministers.
The Adviser said the Doha negotiations should be concluded at the earliest and the special needs and interests of the LDCs should be placed at the heart of the Doha Round and its final outcome.
He underscored the need for operationalising the "Aid for Trade" initiative immediately with sufficient additional funding.
Outlining the potentials for free movement of labour force, Aziz called upon the developed countries to liberalise their markets for all categories of service providers of the LDCs under Mode 4 of GATS.
It would contribute to earning foreign exchange and alleviating the huge unemployment problem in the LDCs.
The Finance Adviser expressed deep concern over the recent trend of declining ODA from developed countries and strongly urged the developed nations to fulfil their commitment of providing 0.2 per cent of the their GNP as ODA to LDCs immediately, as they agreed in Monterrey.
He also proposed establishing effective partnership and mutual accountability between donors and recipient countries, stressing the importance of exploring innovative sources of financing, particularly to meet the resource gap in the LDCs.
He also stressed the need for strengthening coherence, governance and consistency of the world's monetary, financial and trading systems.
He also sought full cancellation of all outstanding debts,
both bilateral and multilateral, of all LDCs forthwith as the overall external debt situation of the LDCs remains a source of concern.
He was speaking on behalf of the 50 LDCs at a high-level dialogue on Financing for Development in the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York Wednesday.
The high-level dialogue of the General Assembly drew special attention of the international community. More than 100 countries took part in the dialogue, 35 of them were ministers.
The Adviser said the Doha negotiations should be concluded at the earliest and the special needs and interests of the LDCs should be placed at the heart of the Doha Round and its final outcome.
He underscored the need for operationalising the "Aid for Trade" initiative immediately with sufficient additional funding.
Outlining the potentials for free movement of labour force, Aziz called upon the developed countries to liberalise their markets for all categories of service providers of the LDCs under Mode 4 of GATS.
It would contribute to earning foreign exchange and alleviating the huge unemployment problem in the LDCs.
The Finance Adviser expressed deep concern over the recent trend of declining ODA from developed countries and strongly urged the developed nations to fulfil their commitment of providing 0.2 per cent of the their GNP as ODA to LDCs immediately, as they agreed in Monterrey.
He also proposed establishing effective partnership and mutual accountability between donors and recipient countries, stressing the importance of exploring innovative sources of financing, particularly to meet the resource gap in the LDCs.
He also stressed the need for strengthening coherence, governance and consistency of the world's monetary, financial and trading systems.