This requires attention to the social and political foundations that make societies more resilient during economic crises. Protection of families with temporary social safety nets can ease individual dislocations in transition economies. A liberal trade regime tends to be part of broader acceptance of an open, market-oriented economy, which we know is linked to growth and poverty alleviation. Finally, non-governmental organizations, unions, business and agricultural associations, and individuals have become indispensable players in the global political and economic arena. When I became a diplomat 27 years ago, officials from other governments were my primary interlocutors.
Governments can no longer hammer out agreements in negotiating sessions without public input.
You and your counterparts all over the world are critical to this effort. These three phenomena make trade issues and the new Round we will launch in Seattle more complex. Globalization, the linkages between trade and development, and the growing importance of civil society make the needs of individuals in all WTO member countries more important than ever. The WTO must more fully reflect the basic values of transparency, accessibility and responsiveness to citizens. The work of the WTO and related organizations should be mutually supportive in promoting a broad vision of a more prosperous, sustainable and just world economy.