Free trade for a better future (Paul Wolfowitz Op-Ed)

Los Angeles Times ^ | December 13, 2005 | Paul Wolfowitz

[RWR8189]

THIS WEEK, trade ministers from 148 nations are gathering in Hong Kong for negotiations hosted by the World Trade Organization, the latest in the so-called Doha development round that started in Doha, Qatar, four years ago. The aim of these negotiations has been to liberalize trade — especially to open the world's richest markets to the world's poorest producers of goods and services. And the crucial issue in Hong Kong is agriculture.

The world community can look back at 2005 with some pride when it comes to helping its poorest citizens. Commitments were made to double aid for African countries and wipe out the debt burdens of at least 18 of the world's most indebted developing nations. But as important as aid and debt relief are, the opportunities generated by trade are far more significant. Freer trade could provide the missing link to jobs and prosperity. Unless the people of Africa and other poor countries have access to markets to sell their products, they will not escape poverty nor give their children a better future.

The trade ministers meeting in Hong Kong for the Doha negotiations will be trying to rewrite the unfair rules that govern agricultural trade around the world. Seventy percent of the world's poor live in rural areas and depend on agriculture to earn a living and feed their families. But instead of being able to freely sell what they produce, they are often denied entry into markets as rich countries protect and prop up their own farmers — subsidizing products and imposing high tariffs on imports.

Rich countries — primarily the U.S., Japan and the members of the European Union — spend $280 billion annually on agricultural support. That's $5 billion a week to protect their often-rich farmers from competition. Ultimately, it is the taxpayers and

[raybbr]

But the real damage is done to farmers in poor countries, because high tariffs keep them out of key markets, and tariffs and subsidies together drive down the world price of their exports. Without the income that trade could provide, it is their children who go hungry and who are deprived of clean water, medicines and other basic necessities of life.

Right out of the democrat playbook!

[faloi]

The trade ministers meeting in Hong Kong for the Doha negotiations will be trying to rewrite the unfair rules that govern agricultural trade around the world. Seventy percent of the world's poor live in rural areas and depend on agriculture to earn a living and feed their families. But instead of being able to freely sell what they produce, they are often denied entry into markets as rich countries protect and prop up their own farmers

Maybe I'm way out of step... Last I heard, the poor farmers that are making their living on farming in other countries don't typically grow much more than they can eat or trade at local markets. I'm not sure I buy that our farmers are "often rich" either. Our tariffs are in place to try to make sure we buy goods from our country, not other wealthy countries. Don't try to couch it as helping the poor rural African farmer.

[raybbr]

If the Doha round does create trading opportunities, the gains will not materialize overnight. Many poor countries will need help in taking advantage of new opportunities. They will need help to build infrastructure, improve institutions and reform weak policies.

To help developing countries break down their own barriers and ease adjustment costs, international donors — including the World Bank — have pledged to add more resources to support the trade agenda, to help poor countries improve their investment climate, invest in infrastructure and empower people.

All countries need to contribute....

He argues against subsidies in the U.S. and then goes on to demand subsidies for foreign farmers and producers.

[Frank T]

"Maybe I'm way out of step... Last I heard, the poor farmers that are making their living on farming in other countries don't typically grow much more than they can eat or trade at local markets."

Don't underestimate the incentive that profit will give African farmers to figure out how to grow more food, and more efficiently. That's how we got to where we are today.

Decades of socialism - income redistribution when there is hardly any money - hasn't worked over there. The post colonial period has been hard for Africans, and they need capitalism to raise their standard of living.

Bob Geldoff can go to hell. There isn't much more you can do to keep down a people that to make the continent one huge welfare state.

[faloi]

Don't underestimate the incentive that profit will give African farmers to figure out how to grow more food, and more efficiently. That's how we got to where we are today.

My biggest concern, though, is that the higher profits wouldn't actually make it to the African farmers. I realize it's dangerous to generalize about a continent the size of Africa, but I'll do it anyway. A lot of the governments in Africa are dedicated to preserving themselves. That generally means keeping the people poor. And I don't want to get into the catch-22 that some people will run into... We want the African farmers to increase production to make money in the world, but we also don't want them to clear any forested areas for farm land because that destroys the natural ecosystem.

[Grey Squirrel]

But the real damage is done to farmers in poor countries, because high tariffs keep them out of key markets, and tariffs and subsidies together drive down the world price of their exports. Without the income that trade could provide, it is their children who go hungry ....

***

So if the poor farmers cannot export their crop, their children will go hungry ...

Am I crazy or has World Bank discovered a new weed to smoke (if so then I oppose all restrictions to it's import)

[TXBSAFH]

Better future for who China? It's not good for the US that is for sure.

[sergeantdave]

Give the Third World free enterprise and private property and pictures of hungry children will start to go away.

The WTO is nothing but a bunch of useless, socialist UN bureaucratic hacks.

[Willie Green]

But the real damage is done to farmers in poor countries, because high tariffs keep them out of key markets, and tariffs and subsidies together drive down the world price of their exports.

As if Wolfowitz gives a rat's rear-end about farmers in poor countries.
This lying sack of dung is actually working to enable transnational food conglomerates to aquire resources in Third World nations, forcing peasant farmers off their land through corporate economies of scale. Then he intends to import these displaced farmers as cheap, illegal immigrant labor for the US.

I've become convinced that Paul Wolfowitz is truly an evil man.

[Sonny M]

If he can help cut subsidies here in the U.S., then I welcome the help, but after we cut subsidies, then I couldn't care less what else he wants.

Lets use him for some cutting, then dump him by the road.