WTO Says Conclusion of Doha Would Boost Global Economy

[ILJ_Digest]

Director General of the WTO Pascal Lamy appealed to a meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee in Washington on April 12 to push for a conclusion to the Doha round as a way of ensuring global economic stablity. “This year I am completely convinced that we have it within our means, politically and technically, to finish the Doha round this year,” said Lamy. “To do so, the first step we need is for WTO Member governments to agree at Ministerial level by the end of May on the framework for cutting agricultural tariffs, agricultural subsidies and industrial tariffs.” Lamy said that the WTO played a critical role in absorbing the fallout from the Asian financial crisis ten years ago and that the completion of the Doha round would renew confidence in rule-based trade systems as a source of economic stability.
The original WTO press release is available here.