The fourth WTO Ministerial Conference at Doha, Qatar in November 2001, dubbed the “Doha Developmental Round”, signalled a significant shift in focus within the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as it recognized the economic developmental needs of low income countries. This paper will assess the development dimension of the negotiations focussing on the extent to which this offers developing countries policy space and flexibilities to pursue developmental objectives.
The WTO advocated the implementation of special and differential (S&D) treatment in order to assist with the plight of developing countries. This paper acknowledges the importance of S&D treatment, but argues that it is not sufficient as a solitary approach to development. In an adaptation of Amartya Sen’s conceptualisation of development as the process of expanding human freedoms; Faizel Ismail highlights four elements of the development dimension of the multilateral trading system, namely: fair trade, capacity building, balanced rules, and good governance.
The paper will begin with a brief overview of the evolution of the trading system itself, from GATT to the WTO. Thereafter it will look at the Relationship between development and trade, focussing particularly on NAMA and S&D treatment. Following this will be a brief analysis of the effect of WTO negotiations on developing countries; ending off with a look at how the WTO can be restructured to accommodate the interests of developing countries.
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Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Evolution of the trading system
- Relationship between development and trade
- Special and differential treatment
- Negotiating objectives of specific country coalitions within WTO (NAMA)
- Effects of WTO negotiations on developing countries
- How should the WTO accommodate the interests of developing countries?
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper assesses the development dimension of the Doha Developmental Round negotiations within the World Trade Organization (WTO), focusing on the policy space and flexibilities offered to developing countries in pursuing developmental objectives. It examines whether special and differential (S&D) treatment is sufficient for development and considers alternative approaches.
- Evolution of the global trading system from GATT to WTO
- Relationship between trade and development, particularly concerning NAMA and S&D treatment
- Impact of WTO negotiations on developing countries
- The need for WTO restructuring to better accommodate the interests of developing countries
- The limitations of special and differential treatment for developing countries
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction establishes the context of the Doha Developmental Round and its focus on the developmental needs of low-income countries. It outlines the paper's structure and its focus on the sufficiency of S&D treatment.
The section on the evolution of the trading system traces the development from GATT to the WTO, highlighting key changes in trade regulations post-Uruguay Round, such as reduced tariff and non-tariff barriers and the impact on developing countries. It also contrasts the nature of GATT and the WTO as international organizations.
The chapter on the relationship between development and trade discusses the need for the multilateral trading system to effectively address development concerns. It analyzes the disparities between developed and developing countries within the WTO and the criticisms leveled by low-income countries regarding the system's focus and impact.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Doha Developmental Round, World Trade Organization (WTO), General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), special and differential (S&D) treatment, developing countries, trade policy, NAMA, multilateral trading system, development, capacity building, fair trade.
- Quote paper
- M.A. Michael Ferendinos (Author), 2007, The development dimension of the Doha Developmental Round and its impact on developing countries, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/122893
