NSW: Doha collapse clouds world's future: OECD

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2008
NSW: Doha collapse clouds world's future: OECD

By Carrie Berdon

SYDNEY, Aug 8 AAP - The collapse of the Doha trade talks is "a major blow" and casts
doubt over global efforts to tackle major issues, OECD secretary-general Angel Gurria
says.

Mr Gurria says the trade talks' failure last week calls into question how the world
will deal with more complex issues such as climate change, global poverty and the food
crisis.

Speaking at a globalisation conference in Sydney today, he urged better coordination
between governments, a strong sense of political will and a clear accountability to deal
with future challenges.

"The collapse of the Doha round for the liberalisation of trade in favour of development
is a major blow to the possibility of a more inclusive world," the Paris-based Organisation
for Economic Cooperation and Development chief said.

The summit to salvage a global trade pact collapsed after the United States, China
and India failed to compromise on the point at which poor countries could raise import
tariffs on farm products.

"If we cannot achieve Doha, which is literally the low-hanging fruit, how are we going
to solve climate change, infinitely more complex?" asked Mr Gurria.

"How are we going to handle migration or the challenge of extreme poverty affecting
hundreds of millions, maybe billions, on the planet?"

Mr Gurria said many global promises had already been broken, such as the G8 commitment
to increase development aid to Africa by 50 per cent by 2010.

"We're not gonna make it," he said.

"It's not going to be possible ... people are feeling a little tight, budgets are under
pressure, and now some politicians are saying that all charity starts at home."

He said no country would fulfil all its millennium development goals, targets set out
by the 30-member OECD to provide a framework for the international development community.

But he said the targets set out in the OECD Environmental Outlook to 2030 were "achievable,
available and affordable".

Mr Gurria said the main message from Doha was that international institutions had to
work more closely together than ever before.

"If we are able to send joint messages on relevant policy issues ... it will be very
difficult for the leaders to ignore us. They shall do so at their peril."

Mr Gurria said the Melbourne APEC meeting at the beginning of August, chaired by Treasurer
Wayne Swan, was successful in looking at ways countries could better cooperate.

"We found very important areas of cooperation, going on the rich experience that both
the OECD and Australia have had over the years," he said.

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KEYWORD: OECD

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