January 28, 2006 - At the World Economic Forum in Davos last weekend, trade ministers from more than 20 countries signaled a political commitment to resume the WTO Doha Development Agenda negotiations (DDA), which were formally suspended in July 2006.

“Trade has the potential to lift millions out of poverty in Africa, but just as debt relief and treatment of HIV/AIDS have required a political commitment at the highest levels, a trade deal that works for Africa will require powerful champions that set aside traditional political sensitivities and prioritize Africa within the Doha round or outside of it,” said Sara Rogge, DATA’s senior trade analyst. “There is more these countries can do. The big players are not the only ones with something at stake in these negotiations. African countries must advocate for what they need from these negotiations to ensure that the outcome will truly have an impact on poverty in their countries.”

Although the Doha round has the potential to create more opportunities for African farmers and producers, the resumption of these negotiations will not be considered a success without ensuring that the promise made at Doha more than five years ago is fulfilled – to place development at the center of any final deal.  The G8 promise to “make trade work for Africa” means that these countries have a responsibility to ensure that Africa’s special needs are being met.  

Making trade work for Africa must include:

• Lower tariffs on products that Africa has the capacity to export.
• Reduction or elimination of trade-distorting subsidies in developed countries on crops that Africa produces, particularly cotton, where these subsidies damage rural livelihoods.
• Aid for trade (funding for infrastructure, building the negotiating capacity of African governments and regional economic entities, and technical assistance that equips Africa for new trading opportunities) to address the real challenges Africa faces in becoming a player in the global market.
• An ongoing commitment to allow African nations to drive and determine their own trade and development strategies