| Date: |
30-10-2015 |
| Subject: |
Doha Development Agenda should continue: Prime Minister Narendra Modi |
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NEW DELHI: Ahead of the ministerial talks at the World Trade Organization in December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pitched for a permanent solution for public stockholding of foodgrains for the poor by developing countries and continuation of the Doha Development Agenda.
"When we meet at Nairobi Ministerial of the WTO in December, we must ensure that the Doha Development Agenda of 2001 is not closed without achieving these fundamental objectives," Modi said at the inaugural ceremony of the third India-Africa Forum Summit here. The talks are to be held from December 15-18 in Nairobi, Kenya.
"We should also achieve a permanent solution on public stockholding for food security and special safeguard mechanism in agriculture for the developing countries," he added.
Modi's statement assumes importance in the wake of developed countries trying to wind up the Doha round post the Nairobi ministerial, something that developing countries are opposed to. As for a permanent solution, the WTO's General Council had last year approved a proposal for indefinitely extending the peace clause, under which the public stockholding programmes of developing countries for food security purposes can't be challenged. The peace clause will remain in place in perpetuity until a permanent solution regarding this issue has been agreed and adopted. Besides, India has also been pushing special safeguard mechanism or a right to raise tariffs on farm goods if flooding of imports or fall in their prices threaten livelihood of its poor farmers.
On bilateral trade with Africa, he said the two parties seek a global trading regime that serves development goals and improves trade prospects. India is now a major source of business investments in Africa. Today, 34 African countries enjoy duty-free access to the Indian market," he said.
Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com
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