WTO urges easing trade policy for tsunami-hit countries<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Geneva<\/p>\n
The World Trade Organization (WTO) on Thursday urged its
\nmember states to consider opening up their markets to imports
\nfrom countries hit by the deadly tsunami in the Indian Ocean last
\nmonth<\/p>\n
The Geneva-based WTO said its Director General, Supachai
\nPanitchpakdi, wrote to the 148 trading nations to ask them to
\nthink "deeply and expeditiously" about ways in which they could
\nadapt their trade policy.<\/p>\n
"Obvious possible areas which occur to me and no doubt others
\nwill be market access and some restraint in use of trade
\nremedies," Supachai said in the letter.<\/p>\n
The global trade chief comes from Thailand, one of the
\ncountries affected when tidal waves crashed into coastal areas
\naround the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26, causing huge devastation and
\nkilling at least 163,000 people.<\/p>\n
Supachai also said trading nations could help in the longer
\nterm by pressing ahead with global trade talks, which are
\nprimarily meant to help developing nations by lifting barriers in
\nnew trade areas such as agriculture.<\/p>\n
"Although we are not involved in humanitarian assistance or
\ndisaster relief, clearly we can make a major contribution to the
\neconomies of the affected countries (and others) by pressing on
\nwith and concluding the Doha Development Agenda as soon as
\npossible," he wrote.<\/p>\n
Sri Lanka, one of the hardest hit countries, is trying to
\nsecure concessions from the United States and the European Union
\nto help its clothing exports following the tsunami.<\/p>\n
Sri Lanka's ambassador in Geneva, Gomi Senadhire, told AFP
\nthat his government would be writing to the EU's Commission to
\nask it to lift customs duties on clothing from the country for
\nabout three months.<\/p>\n
"We are also in the process of appealing to the U.S.," he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
"We need resources to rebuild our economy. What is better than
\ntrade?" Senadhire said.<\/p>\n
Although Sri Lanka's textiles industry had not been directly
\naffected by the catastrophe, the tourism industry had been widely
\ndevastated and the country's economy needed a boost, he
\nexplained.<\/p>\n
On top of a death toll of more than 30,000 in Sri Lanka, the
\ntsunami caused an estimated US$3 billion of damage, according to
\nauthorities.
\nIn 2003, Sri Lankan companies paid nearly $220 million in customs
\nduties in the United States.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wto-urges-easing-trade-policy-for-tsunami-hit-countries-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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