ATN objects developed countries’ double standards

Geneva, Switzerland, has strongly objected to moves by developed countries such as United States, European Union, Australia, among others in their joint ministerial Press statement issued on the 15th of December 2011 titled “Pledge Against Protectionism” that basically is calling for a standstill clause in the WTO.
They are also calling for other developing countries to join their move.We state that the anti-protectionism messages must be put in context and in the spirit of the Doha Development Agenda.
Protectionism through standards or the use of environmental reasons to block goods and services from developing countries is unacceptable.
However, African countries still need the policy space for industrialisation and development purposes (to protect agriculture and local industries through the use of tariffs among others).
The developed countries used the same policy instruments at their nascent stages of development and they are now denying developing countries the usage of the same tools. Notwithstanding this, the greatest protectionists today are still the developed countries hence it is hypocritical for them to talk against protectionism.
Furthermore, we reject attempts by the developed countries to introduce the standstill clause in the WTO that will shrink the space for African countries to use tariffs (both bound and applied) and other trade measures to develop but rather open the markets of African economies. Developed countries today in addition to their domestic subsidies, have the higher applied agricultural tariffs (18 percent) than developing countries (15 percent) on average. Such a move will restrict the ability of African countries to use trade policy as an important and legitimate tool for industrialisation and increased food production.
We urge African governments and delegates to say no to such calls and stand by the Accra declaration on WTO issues by the Africa Union Trade Ministers, which emphasises the need for a fair and balanced outcome of the Doha Development Agenda, which must prioritise development as the main deliverable.
We also call upon African countries to denounce the untransparent, secretive and exclusive meetings that are conducted by a few countries on behalf of the rest of the membership of the WTO. – myjoyonline.com