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The people of South Asian Region countries need to develop better linkages
through more permanent set of relations to shares better understanding to
benefit from the W.T.O globalization and trade liberalization for the progress
and prosperity of the people of the region.
Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh Federal Minister for Privatisation & Investment stated
this while inaugurating three day annual Conference of South Asian Civil
Society Network on International Trade Issues (SACSNITI) on WTO Post-Cancun
Developments: Options for South Asia, organized jointly by Sustainable
Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS)
India, Oxfam GB Pakistan Program and South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and
Environment (SAWTEE) here today.
The Minister said that it was encouraging to note that the people of region
were joining hands for regional trade grouping by interacting for economic
growth and bringing closer the civil societies of South Asia, which would not
only enhance the capacity to comprehend and analyze the effects of
multinational trade agreements on issues of concern to this region but it
would also expand the existing civil society groups including relevant
academic organizations and research institutes.
He further stated that all countries of the region have accelerated their
efforts for increasing the growth rate during the past three-four years among
them Pakistan has also surpassed 6 % Growth rate with significant improvement
on macro economic front and increase in trade. Some of the decisions in the
wake of globalization were far reaching, he observed.
Dr. Hafeez Shaikh stated that Agriculture was important to the region's
countries while other areas were 50 % service based. There was need to improve
our industry to improve efficiency and quality for meeting the challenges of
globalization, he added. Mr. Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS
International and Mr. Shiv Shankar Menon, India's High Commissioner to
Pakistan also addressed the inaugural session. The final conference is being
held from 17-19 August 2004. The broad focus is on taking stock of the
post-Cancun scenario, RTAs and options before the South Asia Region, textiles
and clothing-post MFA era and trade in services-issue of outsourcing,
agriculture etc. It will also discuss the future agenda of the SACSNITI
project and how to carry-forward its South-Asian trade network. The conference
is being attended by civil society representatives, researchers from research
institutions, academics & experts, policy-makers, business representatives and
media persons from the South Asian countries in this three day conference.