A Decade on Launching Doha’s Commercial Negotiations

The preliminary rounds aimed at reviving the talks of the International Trade Organization which were launched at Doha in 2001. Some of its issues were not finalized because of the disagreement between the developing countries and the industrial countries. All the mistrial meetings, such as the two meetings in New Delhi and Genevain 2009, discussed the ways to revive the round on Doha’s negotiations and activating the negotiated process to reach an agreement on the controversial issues relating to agricultural and industrial goods; as well as an agreement on a roadmap principle depending on the announced support from Great 8 and Great 20 in Petersburg Summit to reach an agreement to end the round by the ending of 2010. The preliminary rounds did not achieve what was needed to activate the talks of Doha’s Round although the positive political indications to the preliminary rounds.

What we can notice during the international commercial negotiations the need to put the bases of commerce including balance and equality in its right position. The Historical trend of negotiations should be corrected through a dialogue between the coalition of developing countries based on partnership. Any negotiations to succeed the commercial Doha’s Round should be committed to the developmental dimension through offering a special and preferable dealing with the developing countries. The international community, the industrial countries and donors are demanded to work hard to reduce the negative consequences of financial and economic crises. The different policies of the advanced countries in their reactions with respect to the economic crises, such as providing incentives and protective policies, have made the economists concerned.

Reaching integration between the developing and advanced countries through a just commercial system would succeed the negotiations of Doha’s 

Round. For this the negotiations should discuss issues such as offering technical support to the developing countries to build its negotiated ability and activating the commercial assistance program.

It is normal to have different views and solutions during the negotiations, such as the Chinese attitude which called to keep the achieved results of the negotiations in Doha, while Brazil reassured that the major disagreement related to the content of negotiations, India and Egypt confirmed that it was important to prevent the protective measures and finding positive levels to help poor countries have part of the benefits of Doha’s negotiations.

A decade has passed on Doha’s round which was supposed to end its tasks in four years. The question which I would like to raise here: Has the refusal of some advanced countries to compete the markets of other countries affected the negotiations?