Strategy for two ministerial confces being finalised
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Doulot Akter Mala
The government is finalising its strategy for the forthcoming two ministerial conferences to reap a maximum benefit out of them for the country's sectors affected by the global recession.
Least Developed Countries (LDC) trade ministers' conference is scheduled to take place in Tanzania from October 14-16 next while seventh WTO ministerial conference in Geneva of Switzerland will be held from November 30 to December 2 next.
Recently, commerce ministry held a high-level meeting, chaired by commerce minister Faruk Khan, to set strategies for the two major events.
In the meeting, the government has decided to form an eight-member core group, headed by Chairman of Tariff commission, which will recommend the country's agenda for the LDC trade ministers meeting in October.
The core group will prepare recommendations giving focus on duty-free and quota-free market access, Rules of Origin (ROO), Development Assistant Committee of organisation for economic cooperation and development (OECD) different services etc, said a senior government official.
Agriculture, trade facilitation, TRIPS (trade related aspects of intellectual property), Trade and environment, aid for trade, special and differential (S&D) treatment will also get priority in the ministerial meeting, he said.
"Two conferences will help the country set its economic policy at a time when the world is facing impact of economic recession," he said.
The country will try to get support from global initiative in the conferences. For this, it will point out the sectors that face a setback due to global recession, he added.
Those are the main platforms where policy makers of different countries will share ideas with each other, he said.
Other negotiation trade programme of the WTO -- Doha development round -- is not working properly that remain almost inactive after 2008, he added.
According to WTO rules, the ministerial meeting is scheduled to be held after every two years. Six such meetings were held so far in different countries. Last conference was held in December 2005 in Hong Kong.
"The country will be benefited in the main negotiation if some issues relating to the country's interest are incorporated in the LDC group declaration," he added.
Already, the country has sent a detailed position on agriculture in the Geneva mission, the official said.
In the meeting held at commerce ministry last week, the government has decided to send another report of trade facilitation group on different negotiating issues in Geneva mission.
The commerce ministry has asked all working group of WTO to give a report by October 15 to help set the country's stand in the next ministerial conference, a meeting source said.
Before attending the ministerial conferences, commerce minister Faruk will sit with ambassadors of US, European Commission, SAARC countries and different think-tanks and organisations to finalise the country's stand, the source said.
The country will try to convince the LDC group keeping the country's interest in mind so that it could be included in the Tanzania declaration, he said.
"It is necessary to develop relations with 33 African LDCs to get benefited in the next conference," he added.
Bangladesh is keen to get its products duty-free and quota-free facilities in the US market. The country will try to include major exporting products in the list of 97 per cent products of USA, he said.
"We are also considering signing different agreements like TIFA or FTA with USA. The country will explore possibility to develop bilateral relations," he said.
Commerce ministry and foreign ministry will try to keep in touch with the new administration of USA government, he added.
It is necessary to give importance on trade facilitation, aid for trade and service sector along with duty-free market access, the official source said.
The country will have to develop its negotiating capacity and strengthen WTO cell to enhance its trade volume.
Ahsan H Mansur, executive director of the Policy Research Institute (PRI) said: "The country should try to develop market access to the industrialised countries in the next two ministerial meetings."
Market access to different potential destinations should be prioritised in the negotiation.
Responding to a question on negotiation capacity of the country, Mansur said: "We have enough capacity to negotiate properly in the international conferences."
The government will have to recognise the real experts irrespective to any parties or groups, he added.
The government is finalising its strategy for the forthcoming two ministerial conferences to reap a maximum benefit out of them for the country's sectors affected by the global recession.
Least Developed Countries (LDC) trade ministers' conference is scheduled to take place in Tanzania from October 14-16 next while seventh WTO ministerial conference in Geneva of Switzerland will be held from November 30 to December 2 next.
Recently, commerce ministry held a high-level meeting, chaired by commerce minister Faruk Khan, to set strategies for the two major events.
In the meeting, the government has decided to form an eight-member core group, headed by Chairman of Tariff commission, which will recommend the country's agenda for the LDC trade ministers meeting in October.
The core group will prepare recommendations giving focus on duty-free and quota-free market access, Rules of Origin (ROO), Development Assistant Committee of organisation for economic cooperation and development (OECD) different services etc, said a senior government official.
Agriculture, trade facilitation, TRIPS (trade related aspects of intellectual property), Trade and environment, aid for trade, special and differential (S&D) treatment will also get priority in the ministerial meeting, he said.
"Two conferences will help the country set its economic policy at a time when the world is facing impact of economic recession," he said.
The country will try to get support from global initiative in the conferences. For this, it will point out the sectors that face a setback due to global recession, he added.
Those are the main platforms where policy makers of different countries will share ideas with each other, he said.
Other negotiation trade programme of the WTO -- Doha development round -- is not working properly that remain almost inactive after 2008, he added.
According to WTO rules, the ministerial meeting is scheduled to be held after every two years. Six such meetings were held so far in different countries. Last conference was held in December 2005 in Hong Kong.
"The country will be benefited in the main negotiation if some issues relating to the country's interest are incorporated in the LDC group declaration," he added.
Already, the country has sent a detailed position on agriculture in the Geneva mission, the official said.
In the meeting held at commerce ministry last week, the government has decided to send another report of trade facilitation group on different negotiating issues in Geneva mission.
The commerce ministry has asked all working group of WTO to give a report by October 15 to help set the country's stand in the next ministerial conference, a meeting source said.
Before attending the ministerial conferences, commerce minister Faruk will sit with ambassadors of US, European Commission, SAARC countries and different think-tanks and organisations to finalise the country's stand, the source said.
The country will try to convince the LDC group keeping the country's interest in mind so that it could be included in the Tanzania declaration, he said.
"It is necessary to develop relations with 33 African LDCs to get benefited in the next conference," he added.
Bangladesh is keen to get its products duty-free and quota-free facilities in the US market. The country will try to include major exporting products in the list of 97 per cent products of USA, he said.
"We are also considering signing different agreements like TIFA or FTA with USA. The country will explore possibility to develop bilateral relations," he said.
Commerce ministry and foreign ministry will try to keep in touch with the new administration of USA government, he added.
It is necessary to give importance on trade facilitation, aid for trade and service sector along with duty-free market access, the official source said.
The country will have to develop its negotiating capacity and strengthen WTO cell to enhance its trade volume.
Ahsan H Mansur, executive director of the Policy Research Institute (PRI) said: "The country should try to develop market access to the industrialised countries in the next two ministerial meetings."
Market access to different potential destinations should be prioritised in the negotiation.
Responding to a question on negotiation capacity of the country, Mansur said: "We have enough capacity to negotiate properly in the international conferences."
The government will have to recognise the real experts irrespective to any parties or groups, he added.