Statement
by HE Mr. M. Morshed Khan, MP
Hon'ble Foreign Minister of the Government of Bangladesh
For the interactive dialogue on "South-South
cooperation and the implementation of the outcomes
of the First Summit on Doha, 13 June 2005.
I
would like to begin by expressing my sincerest appreciations
to His Excellency Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr
Al-Thani, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
of Foreign Affairs for the excellent arrangement and
warmth of hospitality extended to me and my delegation.
The
development challenges facing the South- the main
theme of the Doha Summit - lie in two broad areas-
Aid and Trade. For decades we have spoken of a conducive
international economic environment. This meant quality
aid in adequate quantity, a rule-based, fair and just
world trade regime and transfer of technology.
Let
me first address the issue of aid. After a marked
decline in ODA flows, there has recently been some
improvement. Today it stands at 0.25 percent.
We
welcome the May 24 announcement by the European Union
to double their ODA by 2010 and to reach 0.7% by 2015.
I pay special tribute to the five countries namely
Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Denmark,
which have achieved 0.7 percent. We hope the rest
of the Development Assistance Committee members will
redouble their efforts to meet their three and a half
decade old commitment.
As per recent commitments, annual ODA flows should
increase to about $100 billion by 2010. This, if not
used or debt write-offs and dollar depreciation, would
be about $50 billion short of ODA needed just to meet
the MDGs.
Urgent
steps are needed to increase the quality, transparency
and accountability of ODA as recommended in the March
2005 Paris meeting.
The
Doha Summit should therefore make a strong appeal
to the developing world to meet the commitment to
earmark 0.15 percent to 0.20 percent of GNP as ODA
for the LDCs.
Mr.
Chairman,
Secondly,
I would like to share our views on some of the key
multilateral trade issues.
An
ambitious Doha Round outcome with the elimination
of export subsidies, significant cuts in domestic
support and in tariffs could add a hundred billion
dollars annually to the global economy by 2015.
Globalization
has not been of equal benefit for all. Instead, it
has put some countries into serious difficulties.
Bangladesh and other LDCs have seen our share of world
trade decline from about 3% in the 1960s, to about
half of one percent in 2000. I wish to propose four
sets of actions to address the situation.
First,
developed countries, and more advanced developing
countries, should immediately give duty-free access
to all products exported from LDCs along with realistic
rules of origin.
Second,
non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to the import of LDC products
must be reduced and gradually eliminated.
Third,
OECD countries, and advanced developing countries
should open up their markets to temporary, less skilled
service providers (under Mode 4 of the GATS) from
the LDCs. The opening up of the OECD labour market
alone would yield benefits to sending and receiving
countries that would be in the region of US$ 158-200
billion annually.
Fourth,
for he developing countries, in particular the LDCs,
transfer of technology, specially ICT is of crucial
importance. There should be a call for international
action in this regard.
Mr.
Chairman,
Finally,
we call for greater South-South Cooperation in terms
of increased implementation of the General System
of Trade Preference (GSTP), investment, exchange of
best practices, technology and know how. Bangladesh
has been sharing her experience and best practices
like micro-credit, women's empowerment, and non-formal
education etc. with fellow developing nations. We
remain committed to expansion and strengthening of
South-South cooperation in meeting the common challenges
of socio-economic development.
I
thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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