Bangladesh: developed countries must fulfill promises

The world least developed countries (LDC) urge the developed countries to fulfill what they have promised concerning duty and quota-free access at the ongoing Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference here Thursday.

For many least developed countries including Bangladesh, trade is most important for their integration into the globalized economy as well as a fundamental component of their economic development, said Altaf Hossain Choudhury, Bangladeshi Minister of Commerce.

The official said Bangladesh, as well as other LDCs, requires the duty and quota-free market access in the developed countries in a secure and predictable form, for all their products.

Though the countries were promised such access for many years, it still remains unfulfilled.

Choudhury said, "It is now time to translate these promises into action."

He said the LDCs expect the developed countries, that have not yet implemented their commitments, to announce in Hong Kong their timetable for the introduction of such market access.

The official also hoped to "seek a regime to facilitate the movement of temporary service providers from the LDCs at the conference."

He said only in this way, many current abuses can be curtailed and the genuine needs from both the service sending and receiving sides can be met.

Source: Xinhua