Commerce minister urges WTO
Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed on Tuesday urged the World Trade Organisation to take initiative for implementation of the declaration of Bali package for ensuring duty- and quota-free market access for the least developed countries including Bangladesh. The minister was speaking at a meeting on ‘Strengthening the Multilateral Trading system – The Post Bali Work Programme’ organised by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.
Tofail said the proposal of duty- and quota-free market access for the LDCs had adopted in the commerce ministerial conference of WTO held in Singapore in 1996.
After the declaration Bangladesh got the benefit in many developed countries except the United States, Tofail said.
The US gave duty-free market access for Bangladesh on 97 per cent products but unfortunately the major export item — garment products — had been included on the list of rest 3 per cent whereas sub-Saharan countries are enjoying the benefits in the US market, he said.
The commerce minister said the Bali package had three important decisions — duty- and quota-free market access, simplification of rules of origin and services waiver — that went in favour of the LDCs.
‘I hope the WTO director general will take initiative to ensure duty- and quota-free market access for the LDCs as per the decision of the organisation,’ Tofail said.
WTO director general Roberto Azevedo, who was present at the meeting, said implementation of Bali package was not straight forward and easy but the progress in this regard was possible.
The WTO could not force any country to give duty-free market access for LDCs rather it could make recommendations, he said.
The LDCs will have to avail the duty- and quota-free market access in developed countries through bilateral negotiation, Roberto said.
‘I encourage Bangladesh to reach out all the stakeholders involved with the package particularly with the other LDCs and continue to engage them in a pragmatic manner,’ he said.
Roberto said Bangladesh was playing a strong role in implementing the Bali packages.
‘Bangladesh is well placed to take a leadership position among LDCs in this issue and I encourage the country to remain proactive. Bangladesh’s substantive input active engagement will help LDC group realise the potential of Bali conference.’ Roberto said.
He said that Bangladesh had always been a strong supporter of multilateral trading system and the country hopefully would continue to be its key player by maintaining and developing the leadership that had been so evident and so important in recent time.
The successful conclusion of the Doha conference agenda will open up further opportunities for the exporting countries, Roberto mentioned.
BGMEA president Atiqul Islam said the countries that were now developed did not face the obstacles, which were currently faced by the LDCs.
In some cases, the multilateral rules do not allow the creation of a level playing field for newcomers, he said.
Atiqul urged the WTO director general to undertake proper initiatives for ensuring that non-tariff barriers would not be used against the LDCs and the successful implementation of the Bali ministerial decisions.
Commerce secretary Mahbub Ahmed, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed and BKMEA vice-president Mohammad Hatem, among others spoke at the programme.
-With New Age input
