Jordan Times
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
WTO experts hold workshop for
deputies
By Rami Abdelrahman
AMMAN — The World Trade Organisation (WTO) completed on Monday the second
workshop on economic openness and the organisation's “Doha Declaration” as
experts explained to Lower House deputies the importance of these two themes for
the country's economic future as a WTO member.
According to the WTO, the November 2001 declaration of the Fourth Ministerial
Conference in Doha, Qatar, provided the mandate for negotiations on a range of
subjects, including issues concerning the implementation of the present
agreements.
The negotiations include those on agriculture and services, which began in early
2000. The declaration sets Jan.1, 2005 as the date for completing all but two of
the negotiations.
The meeting then also approved a linked decision on implementation — problems
developing countries face in implementing the current WTO agreements, the WTO
told deputies.
Lower House Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali told the WTO workshop that Parliament
would always support any government decision that would bring benefits to the
public.
He said that all Jordanians in the public and private sectors need to understand
that the country will not be able to develop without being open economically to
the world — hence the importance of being a member of the WTO.
According to Industry and Trade Minister Ahmad Hindawi such workshops should be
seen as a tool for public-private understanding and partnership, noting that
once Jordan joined the WTO it was able to attract larger foreign direct
investments.
Hindawi said the government will be setting a strategy to enhance economic
openness in order to provide a base for future negotiations with international
economic bodies and guarantee the benefits for all Jordanians.
He added that by 2010, customs should drop to a maximum of 20 per cent on all
items noting that this is essential for improving economic relations with the
WTO's 148 member countries.
The minister credited economic openness for enhancing the quality and
international competitiveness of Jordanian products.
The workshop comes as part of the WTO's support to the country he remarked. A
similar workshop took place on Sunday for senators, whereas another one is
expected to take place Tuesday for academics.