?Reclaiming Development? In the DDA

Geneva A group of developing countries led by Argentina, Brazil, India and South Africa yesterday launched a major campaign for "reclaiming development" in the Doha Development Agenda negotiations, arguing that industrialized countries have failed to live up to their promises made when the talks were launched four years ago (see related report this issue).

"Without unlocking the development potential in the Doha trade negotiations, the developing countries will not gain in the crucial areas of agriculture, non-agriculture for market access and other developmental issues," said South African trade envoy Faisal Ismail.

Delivering a blueprint to achieve the much-promised development goals ahead of the December 13 to 18 Hong Kong ministerial, the trade envoys said the developmental objectives of the current round have been "hijacked" by industrialized countries who are creating more hurdles in each area of the talks for developing countries.

Brazilian Ambassador Clodoaldo Hugueney attacked the European Union and the defensive Group-of-10 nations for not providing effective market access for farm products. The also blasted the United States for not doing enough to reduce domestic subsidies. They said the positions adopted by the key industrialized countries would substantially "undermine" the developmental goals of the Doha agenda.

Indian Ambassador Ujal Singh Bhatia criticized the industrialized countries for going against the principle of proportionality and less-than-full-reciprocity in the talks on nonagricultural market access. He argued in yesterday