Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Pretoria (Agenzia Fides)- Brazil, India and South Africa have called on developing countries to remain united to form a common front in Doha talks on the future of world. The call was launched by heads of state and government of the three countries gathered in Pretoria for the annual IBSA Meeting, (see Fides 4 and 15 October 2007). “We want to be invited to share in the whole banquet not just the desert. International negotiations in Doha cannot be dictated only by the agenda of a small number of developed countries” the IBSA countries said.
Since 2001 Doha, in Qatar, has hosted periodical negotiations aimed to increase the volume of international trade, lifting customs and other barriers. While acknowledging that in theory their economies may benefit from a greater opening of international markets, poorer countries fear their production will be crushed by an invasion of foreign products at competitive prices. India, Brazil and South Africa intend to voice the instances of the weaker countries also with regard to the reform of the United Nations.
However in defiance of what is said by their leaders, there exist divisions among the three countries with regard to international trade negotiations. Many international observers think, India and Brazil intend to reach an agreement to reduce customs on industrial products, while South Africa fears that lower customs may damage its own textile and automobile industries.
Trade between these three countries is still very limited. One of the aims of IBSA meetings is to create economic synergy among the participants. Promising areas for trilateral economic collaboration include: agriculture and food processing: pharmaceutics industry; transport and energy. In this latter field India, which has a growing energy deficit, can turn to Brazil, world leader in bio-fuels, and to South Africa which has developed technology to produce synthetic fuel from coal. However to intensify trade between the three countries air traffic between Brazil, India and South Africa must increase. At present from a South African airport it is easier to reach a destination in Europe rather than in Brazil or India. Other obstacles to trade between the three countries are complex visa procedures and so called non tariff barriers. The three governments are committed to solving these problems. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 18/01/2007 righe 33 parole 419)
