The leaders of Brazil, India and South Africa on Wednesday vowed to push the interests of poor nations in stalled international trade talks and said any agreement would have to benefit the developing world.
Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and South African President Thabo Mbeki met at a summit in Pretoria to discuss ways to ease the reliance of Asia, Latin America and Africa on trade with richer northern hemisphere economies.
The three members of the Ibsa (India-Brazil-South Africa) bloc highlighted the importance of successfully concluding the Doha round of trade negotiations, launched six years ago in Qatar to boost cross-border commerce in farming, industry and services and to help poorer nations’ export sectors.
”This Doha international negotiation cannot be simply and purely the agenda of a small number of developed countries,” Lula said in opening remarks at a one-day summit in the South African capital.
”The objective of reaching a fair and balanced resolution is not only desirable but is possible … Disagreement should benefit the developing countries.”
Talks stalled last year as rich and poor nations failed to agree on cutting domestic farm subsidies and opening market access.
Silva, Singh and Mbeki also threw their support behind an effort to push for sweeping reforms of the United Nations as they craft a united political front that is at times at odds with Washington and others in the West.
Each is lobbying for a permanent seat on an expanded UN Security Council as a means to give developing nations a greater voice in the world body. The United States, Russia, China, Britain and France have permanent seats on the council.
”Now is the time to make decisions,” Lula said in reference to the desire to reform the international world order. ”It is useless to be invited for desert and not the powerful countries’ banquet.”
Mbeki quickly agreed, saying: ”We are indeed of one mind.”
Singh also expressed his desire to see developing nations have a greater voice economically and politically in the world.
Air, maritime links
At the end of opening session on Wednesday, the three leaders met behind closed doors with senior ministers and officials where they were expected to discuss in detail ways to increase trade among their respective continents and push for political reforms on the international stage.
It was expected that they would hammer out an agreement on closer air and maritime links between the three countries.
Annual trade within the group, which has a combined 1,3-billion population, has already surpassed $6,5-billion since a $10-billion target was first set in 2004.
The three countries are also pushing for a possible creation of a free-trade zone that would build on existing ties between India, the South American trade group Mercosur — led by Brazil — and the Southern African Customs Union.
The summit will be watched closely within the Group of Eight and even in China for signs that the bloc has the resolve to act as a counterpoint to the rich industrialised nations and the emerging Asian superpower. — Reuters