Seeking Sustainable Results Through U.S
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE UNITED STATES AND THE DOHA COMMITMENT 1 THE UNITED STATES AND THE DOHA COMMITMENT The members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) have always recognized that the expansion of trade opportunities can make a significant contribution to economic growth and global poverty reduction. The Doha Development Agenda (DDA) focuses on better integrating developing countries into the international trading system and enabling them to benefit further from global trade. The United States provided leadership at Doha in 2001 and continues to do so today, not only through work in Geneva, but also through comprehensive trade capacity building (TCB) programs throughout the world. Trade capacity building, or aid for trade, helps build the necessary capacity for developing countries to take advantage of more open markets. While in Hong Kong, the United States intends to collaborate with others to continue the work begun under the DDA. This is the WTO’s opportunity to focus on issues of importance to our least developed country (LDC) partners as East Timor coffee farmers expand sales by identifying potential markets for certified they seek to develop their economies organic coffee. through export-led growth. A successful negotiating round is key to opening banks and the WTO’s Trade-Related markets further, and is aided by TCB. Technical Assistance Plan. The United States is the largest single- The United States is in a unique position country donor of TCB assistance, to provide assistance on many levels — providing over $1.34 billion in 2005, up working with international organizations, from $921.2 million in 2004. The United national and local governments — using States’ Millennium Challenge Account diverse methods. We recognize that there (MCA) contributed to TCB funding for is no one-size-fits-all approach to TCB the first time this year, complementing on- assistance. U.S. aid for trade is based on going U.S. programs. In addition, we sustainability, ownership, and coordination, continue our strong support for the which enable the United States to provide trade-related programs of the multilateral flexible and creative assistance. As a donor, 2 THE UNITED STATES AND THE DOHA COMMITMENT REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND CROSS-BORDER TRADE IN U.S. AID FOR TRADE SOUTHEAST EUROPE IS BASED ON Southeast European countries are modernizing Croatia, and Bosnia/Herzegovina. The SUSTAINABILITY, border services as a key step toward regional initiative facilitates cross-border trade, increases integration. The U.S. Customs and Border the effectiveness of border controls, and OWNERSHIP, AND Protection Bureau of the U.S. Department for promotes international trade. The program Homeland Security supports the Southeast contributed to a 62-percent decrease in the European Cooperative Initiative in assisting physical inspection rate, reduced commercial COORDINATION, customs administrations in Albania, Macedonia, traffic wait times by 67 percent, and reduced Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia/Montenegro, duty collection by 140 percent. WHICH ENABLE THE UNITED STATES TO we strive to respond to the needs and I Integrated Framework (IF) process: PROVIDE FLEXIBLE priorities identified by our developing The United States plays an active role in country partners and value their input to multilateral efforts to provide TCB to AND CREATIVE our TCB programs. We develop our LDCs. assistance in line with the following: I Free Trade Agreements (FTAs): The ASSISTANCE. United States provides technical I WTO: The United States continues its assistance to help countries implement support of WTO technical assistance commitments under free trade through the Global Trust Fund and the agreements. International Trade Centre. U.S. Trade Capacity Building Assistance 2001-2005 1500 1342.0 1200 900 921.2 Millions 760.1 600 637.8 $ U.S. 598.7 300 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 THE UNITED STATES AND THE DOHA COMMITMENT 3 U.S. TRADE CAPACITY BUILDING ASSISTANCE – 2005 TOTAL FUNDING: $1.34 BILLION1 Former Soviet Republics $80.1 Central & Eastern Europe $73.3 Middle East & North Africa $245.0 Asia $144.6 Latin America and the Caribbean $523.2 Sub-Saharan Africa $198.8 Non-targeted Global Funding $77.1 I Trade Preferences: The new Africa 70 countries, providing the United States Global Competitiveness Initiative, a $200 with a unique opportunity to work with million, five-year program, expands and respond to the needs of developing African trade with the United States, countries as they seize the opportunities along with regional and other of trade liberalization. Targeted bilateral or international partners, and promotes regional programs are a practical, effective export competitiveness. The African way of providing aid for trade. More Growth and Opportunity Act has also importantly, an on-the-ground approach been extended through 2015 and enables the United States to build strong includes third country fabric provisions partnerships with developing countries. through September 2007. USAID’s field programs are complemented by a range of TCB The leading implementer of our TCB assistance provided by many other U.S. efforts, the U.S. Agency for International government agencies. The U.S.Trade and Development (USAID), is present in over Development Agency, for example, 1 Data are presented in millions of dollars and are based on the 2005 U.S. Government Trade Capacity Building (TCB) Survey. Survey results can be found in the U.S.Trade Capacity Building Database (www.usaid.gov, keyword: TCB Database); in the WTO Database of Trade-Related Technical Assistance and Capacity Building (http://tcbdb.wto.org); and on the attached CD-ROM. The CD-ROM contains summary tables for the 2005 U.S. Government TCB Survey. 4 THE UNITED STATES AND THE DOHA COMMITMENT LABOR LAW COMPLIANCE IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC While labor laws in Central America generally promoting transparency through a website on conform to the International Labor national labor laws; strengthening inspection Organization’s Fundamental Principles and services of the Ministry of Labor; enhancing Rights at Work, enforcement difficulties alternative dispute resolution mechanisms; remain. The U.S. Department of Labor helps and improving public awareness of labor to increase compliance with national labor rights. These activities help countries meet the laws in Central America, Panama, and the labor obligations negotiated in their free trade Dominican Republic. Activities include agreements with the United States. provides TCB assistance such as early small farmers. Examples of these investment analysis and sectoral partnerships include the following: development. USTDA-funded activities are carried out by the U.S. private sector, I The CISCO Networking Academy which often contributes additional Alliance, which partners worldwide with resources to help countries address their several technology companies, teaches TCB priorities. students computer networking and provides them with the skills required Recognizing that public-private alliances to compete effectively in the global multiply the impact of official development marketplace. assistance, the United States seeks to engage the private sector in development I Starbucks and Green Mountain Coffee, partnerships. The private sector provides through the Finance Alliance for assistance that ranges from developing Sustainable Trade, help small farmers shift information technology skills to helping to sustainable growing techniques and Farmers in Kenya grade, weigh, and store produce to maintain quality and safety. THE UNITED STATES AND THE DOHA COMMITMENT 5 assist them in capturing a significant and others. During negotiations, the TCB market premium for certified organic Working Groups provide an opportunity coffee. This alliance provides assistance for both bilateral and multilateral donors INTERNATIONAL in Central America and several African to listen and respond to the needs and countries, including Rwanda,Tanzania, priorities of our prospective FTA partners. TRADE CAN PLAY A and Uganda. Once the FTA is concluded, standing TCB Committees make aid for trade both MAJOR ROLE IN THE Local businesses and farmers benefit from more effective and more efficient. Official these efforts by developing new skills and development assistance funding is limited, PROMOTION OF forging partnerships with such companies, but by working together we can leverage which enable them to tap into new the available funds to get the most out of ECONOMIC markets and enhance their overall our efforts. competitiveness. DEVELOPMENT AND Free Trade Agreement negotiations and The United States and its FTA partners TCB efforts work to strengthen labor and THE ALLEVIATION OF have pioneered efforts to synchronize TCB environmental protection, which are with trade initiatives. A systematic and critical dimensions of trade. U.S. labor- POVERTY. focused approach to assistance must be related TCB efforts include activities taken to support fast-moving negotiations designed to strengthen the rule of labor in the WTO and other forums and to law, build efficient and responsive labor DOHA DECLARATION seize trading opportunities. The United markets, address HIV/AIDS through States focuses its TCB efforts on initiatives workplace prevention, and reduce the that will yield tangible and timely results. incidence of the worst forms of child labor. Environmental protection is The Dominican Republic-Central America- achieved through programs that enforce United States Free Trade Agreement domestic environmental laws and negotiations marked the