99-3588 MOREPRESS RELEASE
PRESS/134
1 September 1999
MOORE CALLS FOR GREATER EFFORTS TO ASSIST
POOR COUNTRIES
Director-General Mike Moore began his term in office, 1 September, by calling on the
world's trading powers to do everything they can to bring the poorest nations into themultilateral trading system by opening thei r markets to goods produced in the Least
Developed Countries and by contributing mo re to technical co-operation programmes.
Mr. Moore, the first non-European Directo r-General, said that assisting the Least
Developed Countries would be a top priority during his tenure and that he planned to meet
with officials from developing and develope d countries in the coming weeks to work on
solutions for incorporating the LDCs more fully into the trading system so that they can sharein the benefits which have rais ed living standards so markedly in the advanced countries and
in the emerging economies.
"The very poor, the Least Developed Countries, still don't get the access they need for
their products and the technical assistance to full y engage so that they can sit at the table of
our global family and share equally and fully. It would not cost the rich nations much to wipe
away barriers for the poorest countries.
"There is no denying the importance of trad e to development. In the past 25 years,
1.5 billion people in 10 developing countries ha ve had their incomes doubled and trade has
been a crucial element in raising the living standards of these people.  Over the last 15 years,the share of developing countries in world tr ade overall has increased from 20% to 25% and
within 10 years this figure will rise to more than 30%. But the fact is, that more needs to bedone. Three billion people live on less than $2  per day. This is unacceptable and we must, all
of us, redouble our efforts at eradicating poverty.
"The World Trade Organization will join with others to win this battle. The good
work of  the United Nations, UNCTAD, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank,the International Trade Centre and the WTO needs to be better co-ordinated.PRESS/134
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END"But the WTO has a vital role to play. Through a system of rules, agreed by
consensus by our 134 member governments, the WTO has created a system where the little
guy not only has a say, but where he can protect and defend his trading rights. It must be said
that trade in itself will not solve all the wo rld's problems, yet without trade the world's
problems will be made much worse. Developing  countries seeking to improve the lives of
their citizens will have one very important avenue to prosperity closed to them. Traderemains a key element in sustaining and sp reading the benefits of interdependence.
"At our Ministerial Conference  in Seattle it is vital that WTO Member Governments
dedicate themselves to finding solutions to pr oblems of the poorest countries. We need these
solutions now – not in seven or eight years.
"The negotiating agenda for Seattle is still being shaped. But we need to go beyond
those sectors, agriculture and services, wher e negotiations have been mandated. No other
issue is as important as addressi ng the plight of the poor nations.
"In the coming weeks and months, I will be meeting with government officials,
members of civil society, academics and journalists in an effort to advance this cause. TheWTO is an organization which stands for fairne ss and equity. It is an organization which is
based on the rule of law, not force. The WTO was created to give each nation, each membergovernment, the opportunity to raise standard s of living, to expand the production of and
trade in goods and services and to promote su stainable development. I intend to devote all my
efforts to ensuring that we live up to that promise."