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Enterprise Excellence 1
In the News The trade liberalization talks known as the Doha development round will be reconvening in Hong Kong in December, attended by ministers by all 148 member countries of the World Trade Organization. The key sticking point in the negotiations is likely to be agricultural subsidies, which prevent farmers from low-income countries accessing western markets. Around sixty CEOs and Chairmen of some of the world's leading companies have signed a letter to the Financial Times expressing their 'mounting concern' at the apparent impasse of the Doha round and the possibility that the opportunity or development presented by next month's summit will be missed. They write: 'We underline our conviction that a successful Doha round is vital to enable business to continue to play a leading role in the eradication of poverty and the raising of global living standards' (FT, 08-11-;05). The EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has claimed that the global economy would be given a $100-300bn dollar per year boost through more open markets and freer trade. This would bring disproportionate uplift to developing countries by expanding their markets abroad while at the same time creating important business opportunities for European companies. Mandelson made this claim on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme on 07-11-05 – go to www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/listenagain_archive.shtml. See also www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4413654.stm The free trade policies of the Bush administration have come under severe attack with the US President's recent visit to Argentina, football star Maradona playing a leading role in the protests – www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/04/AR2005110401724.html Conservative Party leadership hopeful David Cameron has firmly nailed his colours to the mast on the issue of climate change. In an article in The Independent he calls for the introduction of a new statutory framework that will help establish market incentives to bring forward investment in the least-cost and most environmentally sensitive sources of zero-carbon energy. See http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/article323747. The World Bank has approved two loans for a total of $257 million for Colombia to promote business productivity and investment, as well as to support sustainable development. This injection of capital is intended to support Columbia's efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Isabel Guerrero, a senior World Bank official, has pledged ''We will support Colombia's efforts to strengthen economic growth and poverty alleviation through a more dynamic private sector.' For the full story, see www.worldbank.org/co |