Multilateral Trade is not beneficial - Gbeho

Accra (Greater Accra) 16 Dec. '99

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr James Victor Gbeho on Wednesday stated that though the present operations of Multilateral Trade System (MTS) is not beneficial to developing countries, it cannot be wished away.

He said through the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the MTS continues to dictate the direction of international trade and the option left for developing countries is to evolve ways either to adapt to current global trends or make sure that they benefit from changes in the world economy.

Mr Gbeho said this when he opened a two-day workshop on multilateral trading system in Accra.

The workshop is being attended by officials of the Foreign Ministry, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service, National Institutional Renewal Programme (NIRP), Private Enterprise Foundation, Association of Ghana Industries, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and academicians.

It was organised by the Legon Centre for International Affairs in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and the National Institutional Renewable Programme (NIRP.)

Mr Gbeho criticised the seeming undemocratic and complex decision making process of the WTO and said with a membership of 135 countries only a few "big trading countries" are involved in decision making thus sidelining most developing countries.

He described this as not only anachronistic but inimical to the majority interest which is untenable.

Mr Gbeho proposed that proceedings at the WTO should be more transparent to ensure democracy in decision-making and make MTS universally acceptable.

He called for the review of MTS and the current globalisation of the world economy to make trading more relevant to developing countries as well as enable weaker economies to effectively integrate.

Mr Gbeho cautioned, that new steps at extending the jurisdiction of WTO to cover "areas of little or dubious relevance to trade," such as labour standards, should be done in a manner that would take into consideration the views and concerns of developing countries and their limited capacities.

He reiterated that trade agreements relating to aspects of intellectual property rights and investment measures should be reviewed to make them more development friendly.

The Foreign Minister said Ghana and other developing countries must, as a responsibility, build a strong industrial base and develop export competitiveness to ensure meaningful participation in MTS.

He urged countries in West Africa to reduce their vulnerability by integrating their economies, saying "we must give priority to the strengthening of ECOWAS and its institutions to facilitate integration.

Professor Kofi Kumado, acting Director of the Legon Centre for International Affairs, said the aftermath of the WTO conference in Seattle should provide developing countries with the opportunity to reset their compass so that they may not lose their national priority and interest.

Professor J. K. Amuzu, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, who chaired the opening ceremony, urged participants to deliberate seriously on the subject.

GRi./