UAE seeks end to protectionist measures

Geneva: Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Foreign Trade, has said that the UAE managed to limit the impact of the harshest phase of the downturn and succeeded in achieving a remarkable economic performance without recourse to protectionist measures.

She told the seventh session of the WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva that the country achieved its economic targets without resorting to protectionist measures amid the continuing global financial downturn.

"We reiterate the call of the WTO to devise and announce exit strategies to remove trade restrictions and production subsidies that some members have introduced temporarily to counteract the effects of the crisis, and start implementing those strategies as soon as dom-estic economic recovery takes hold," Shaikha Lubna said.

"Conscious of recent developments in the global economy, the UAE has successfully managed to limit the impact of the harshest phase of the downturn and has succeeded in achieving a remarkable economic performance without recourse to any protectionist measures.

"By doing so, the UAE strongly affirms its attachment to a fair multilateral trading system. Nonetheless, in the short run and in concert with GCC countries, the UAE has already signed a series of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), and with more still being negotiated since we believe that these agreements can serve as important ‘stepping-stones' to progress at the WTO and such will lead to freer multilateral trade in the medium term," she added.

"In order to move the trade system ahead, we need to seriously accelerate the pace and ensure that meaningful negotiations emerge, and real exchanges among members, so as to speed up not only global economic recovery but also a successful outcome of the Doha Agenda negotiations.

"The WTO Ministerial Conference provides a platform for sending a number of strong signals to the world and for delivering an emphatic message beyond these walls to uplift people's faith in an open international trading system and a peaceful world," the minister said.

She added: "Kant, one of the greatest philosophers of the Enlightenment, indicated unambiguously in his work on Perpetual Peace among nations that trade brings about peace and that peace will be maintained through trade.

"On this note, we call for more support for the efforts of developing and less developed countries to address the economic slowdown and to facilitate in the meantime WTO accession to such countries, with special reference to Arab countries who have voiced their concerns on this issue."

Shaikha Lubna participated as the head of the UAE delegation to the seventh session of the WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva, which began on November 30 and concluded last evening.

Delegation

The UAE delegation included Juma Al Keit, Executive Director for Foreign Trade Affairs; Obaid Al Kindi, UAE Representative at the WTO in Geneva; Sultan Darweesh, Director of Negotiations and Trade Agreements, Ministry of Foreign Trade; economist Mohammad Al Imam and a number of officials.

She also chaired the Ministerial Consultative Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Conference, which was held before the WTO Ministerial Conference with the participation of a number of trade ministers and heads of delegations of member states participating in the WTO Ministerial Conference.