With firm action, the WTO could realize its potential to oversee global trade in a fair way that drives development and reduces poverty. We wanted to know what had changed since the Seattle fiasco. The bulk of the membership had lost confidence. Delegates say the rich members have fallen short on each and every one of these ''confidence-building'' measures. Fundamental inequalities in trade agreements that developing countries wanted changed have not been changed.
Rich markets remain shut, especially in textiles and agriculture.
Rich countries have been allowed to maintain high levels of domestic farm subsidies while forcing developing countries to open their agricultural markets. Up till now, I haven't seen anything. The only thing I have seen is the opposite. Rich countries continue to subsidize their producers with impunity. Rich countries say that these issues can only be discussed in a new round of WTO negotiations.