By IANS,
New Delhi : The Global Development Network, a public policy advocacy based out of India, the US and Egypt, Tuesday announced an agreement with Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) International for capacity building.
As per the terms of the agreement, the two organisations will promote capacity building, knowledge sharing, and research and awareness of crucial policy challenges as a potential tool to support the efforts of countries to reach their development goals.
World Trade Organisation Director General Pascal Lamy, who was the chief guest at the signing ceremony, made a passionate plea to end the current impasse in concluding the current round of multilateral trade accord with a three-pronged strategy.
Lamy empahsised the need for “a recognition from big emerging countries that their aim is to reach the level of development of the major industrial powers and that this implies that ultimately, they will share similar rights and obligations.”
He said the major industrial powers should realise that the system of rights and obligations that they put in place has some drawbacks and weaknesses.
The WTO chief called for a willingness among the member countries to negotiate on the common, ultimate system of rights and obligations and on the time needed by participants to get there.
“Consensus is still lacking on the balance of contributions and benefits between the US, the EU, Japan and the like on the one side, and India, China, Brazil and the like on the other side, particularly on the Doha Round,” Lamy said.
CUTS is based in Jaipur, Rajasthan.