Developing countries pushing WTO agenda: Pascal Lamy

Developing countries are now prioritising trade more clearly in their development strategies, Pascal Lamy, director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) told the 56th session of the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board.

He also highlighted the fact that the allocation of more `Aid for Trade' was being achieved without diverting resources from other development priorities such as health, education or environment.

Going forward, he said, the key priorities on aid for trade include enhancing regional cooperation, enhancing the role and contribution of the private sector, devoting more resources towards enhancing the capacity to evaluate the impact of aid for trade and continued mobilisation of additional resources, in particular looking beyond 2010.

He said some donors have already given a clear signal of their intention to scale up their aid for trade in the post-2010 period.

"What is outstanding in the DDA negotiations is doable and a deal is within reach, but to get there, we still need a translation of the current global political support into tangible negotiating moves", Lamy said.

He said that following up on a successful ministerial gathering in India, senior trade officials are in Geneva consulting on "a compass to guide the negotiations over the coming months, so we can wrap them up in 2010".