ONE Statement on Suspension of WTO Doha Round Trade Talks

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, trade ministers suspended trade talks critical to the outcome of the World Trade Organization Doha Development round, failing to deliver on their promise to change the rules of trade and level the playing field for developing countries and give people the tools needed to trade their way out of poverty.

ONE STATEMENT:

Only one week ago, G8 leaders instructed their trade negotiators to secure a deal within a month, one that must stay true to the G8 2005 Gleneagles communiqué commitment to “make trade work for Africa” and deliver on the promise of a world trade round to end poverty and reduce farm subsidies that keep the world’s poorest people from earning a fair living through trade.

G8 and EU leaders must now build the political will necessary to deliver on the promise of a world trade round to end poverty. Any trade agreement will only be successful as part of a comprehensive debt, aid and trade package, with appropriate and sufficient complementary assistance, including full funding of the fight against extreme poverty and global AIDS. A deal must be reached that will help transform millions of lives through the real reform of trade, including:

Agriculture Subsidies: Much more must be done to eliminate subsidies that cause overproduction and commodity dumping by developed countries and to open up developed country markets to duty-free and quota-free products from developing countries.

Power to Decide: Developing countries must have the power to decide their own trade policies, in accordance with their development strategies.

Transparency: We must ensure all nations have a seat at the table, ensuring a transparent and democratic negotiating process, with more work remaining in fully engaging developing countries in trade discussions.

“Aid for Trade”: Developed nations must deliver on additional meaningful trade capacity building assistance to increase developing countries’ ability to produce competitive products. We must also work to prevent any possible unintended negative consequences of trade liberalization for poor and vulnerable people.

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ABOUT ONE: THE CAMPAIGN TO MAKE POVERTY HISTORY ONE (www.one.org) is a new effort by Americans to rally Americans – ONE by ONE – to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE is a coalition of over 2.3 million people and 80 of the nation’s leading relief, humanitarian and advocacy organizations. For more information, please visit: www.ONE.org