Nepal to urge for early implementation of aid for trade, DFQF
REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, Nov 23: Nepal is demanding developed members of World Trade Organization (WTO) to speed up the implementation of Aid for Trade and duty-free quota-free (DFQF) facility that they had promised in the 7th WTO ministerial conference.
The ministerial conference is scheduled for later this month and Nepali delegation led by Commerce Minister is leaving for Geneva on Saturday.
The developed members had unveiled Aid for Trade measure and DFQF facility in the Hong Kong ministerial conference, promising to open up market for 97 percent of its tariff lines to least developed countries (LDCs) by 2008.
“These promises have remained just a lip service, while in the absence of adequate support and facilities, LDCs like Nepal have been facing serious problems in giving boost to their exports,” said Dr Badri Prasad Pokharel, chief of WTO Division at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies.
He further elaborated that Nepal´s emphasis on Aid for Trade would be to seek additional support from donors, and not just repackaging of aid that they are giving at present, and also to be specific, so that the country could receive substantial fund for doing away with its infrastructure and supply-related constraints.
Nepal would also call the developed members to implement the committed DFQF facility by 2010 and extend the facility to cent percent of tariff lines. Officials noted that the position of Nepal matches with the declaration that LDCs came up with in Dar-e-Salaam in October for the 7th ministerial conference.
During the ministerial meet, Nepal would also urge the developed countries to make special and differential treatment (SnDT) promised for LDCs as a binding commitment. It would also voice out for the timely implementation of trade facilitation measures, under which the developed countries have promised to help land-locked and smaller economies overcome constraints that they face on doing trade.
Like other LDCs, Nepal would urge for the early finalization of Doha round of negotiations. The Doha talks, launched in late 2001 to render international trade regime fair to all, pro-poor and development-oriented by slashing farm subsidies and agricultural and industrial tariffs, is suppose to come to an end in 2010.
However, given the deadlock of the past and ever existing differences among developed and developing countries on tariff cuts for industrial goods -- generally referred as non-agriculture market access (NAMA) -- experts doubt over successful conclusion of Doha Round by next year. While urging the developed countries to cut industrial tariff, trade experts also suggested the government to highlight preference erosion that the cut in tariff by developed countries would result on their trade.
“To overcome this challenge, Nepal should push for trade solutions such as extension of preferences in other areas and relaxed rule of origin, and non-trade solutions, such as assistance in building supply capacity for export diversification,” said Ratnakar Adhikari, general secretary of South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE).
Speaking at a program, he also suggested the government to push for DFQF by advanced developing countries as well.
Commerce Secretary Purushottam Ojha further stated that Nepal would urge the WTO members to lift export restrictions that they have imposed on food items, especially as it has fueled food shortage and price rise in net food importing countries like Nepal.
PLEASE DESIST FROM ATTACKING THE WRITER PERSONALLY AND BE RESPECTFUL TO OTHER READERS.
Please give your full name while posting your comments. This is not to stifle the free flow of comments but your full name will enable us to print the comments in our newspaper.
Nepal To Urge For Early Implementation Of Aid For Trade, DFQF
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
