Draft Executive Summary of Synthesis Report–A compilation of Fifteen Country Background Reports
Fifteen countries spanning across Asia, Africa, Europe are partners in the project Linkages between Trade, Development and Poverty Reduction. This report tries to assimilate the commonalities and the differences between these diverse countries. Out of fifteen countries, thirteen are from the developing world. Far-reaching economic reforms have been taking place in these countries over the last 20-30 years to promote all-round development. Yet, the problem of poverty persists and is a cause for national concern.

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Progress Towards Aid for Trade
It is hoped that the inclusion of Aid for Trade (AfT) as WTO’s newest policy area will ensure promotion of trade-development of the developing world. This will facilitate developing world’s integration within the world economy and not just those of existing or emerging trading powers. The workshop organised by Overseas Development Institute, London, UK, on June 09, 2006, had some clear views on the implementation issues of AfT and the role of its workforce, constituted by WTO.

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Recommendations by Aid For Trade Taskforce
As July 04, 2006 is approaching, the members of AfT taskforce are finalising their comments on the six-page draft text circulated to them by chair of the task force Ambassador Mia Horn. The draft text have AfT issues like trade policy development and compliance with trade obligations, besides other support efforts required by developing countries to boost their participation in world trade.

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Time for a New Approach to the Multilateral Trading System
“The current negotiations now preclude any possibility of benefiting the majority of the world’s people, particularly those living in impoverished developing countries”, says the letter sent by civil society groups to the trade ministers at the WTO. A series of economic reports on the projected outcomes of the Doha Round, including those from the World Bank, UN, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the European Commission, have concluded that developing countries, as a whole, will be net losers from the Doha Round, with most of the gains expected under the Doha proposals flowing disproportionately to the rich countries.

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Trade Talks – Where is the Development?
Four years have gone by since the beginning of Doha Development Round.“Where is this ‘development’ round? Does it still have meaning to speak of a development round when we don’t have S&DT? No good provisions for the LDC’s? Where the aid for trade is not practical? We don’t see anything really to tackle these issues and boost the economies of the developing countries. In the end, its business as usual.” These are the questions now being asked by the trade ministers and activists from Africa to the world leaders and the global organisations as very little development gains are being perceived in African nations.

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Disclaimer
Views expressed in these articles and papers are those of the respective authors and in no way reflect the official positions of CUTS and the agencies supporting this project.

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