Developing states demand quick Doha talks deal

• Attempts to push through a deal in the Doha negotiations collapsed at the mini-ministerial meeting in Geneva last year.
• This was due to lack of consensus between the US and emerging Asian economies such as China, India and Indonesia over agriculture pacts.
• In the run up to the collapsed talks, African states had prepared a demand list of seven points for negotiations with their partners.

They also requested that products deemed vulnerable to preference erosion be excluded from sectorial initiatives.

Focused approach

The ACP reaffirmed similar concerns over the Nama and demanded a focused approach in tackling the issue.

“The resumption of negotiations should chair driven and based on the July 2008 convergences and the December 2008 revised draft modalities text in agriculture and Nama although the texts do not fully address the all interests of the ACP groups, a shortcoming that should be addressed,” the ACP ministers said.