United Nations

Annan Discusses Free Trade at U.N. Forum

Amid calls from poor countries for the elimination of agricultural subsidies, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged representatives of 180 nations to push for free trade agreements that will raise global living standards.

Brazil's Lula Rallies Developing Nations

Brazil's president Monday called for a worldwide effort to assist developing nations' economies, saying they were incapable of the "spontaneous" growth experienced in wealthier nations.

Annan Urges Poor Nations To Broaden Trade With Each Other; Little Movement Seen In WTO Talks

SAO PAULO -- Poor nations can benefit from boosting trade among themselves at the same time as they fight for greater access to developed countries and broader worldwide trade, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said yesterday.

UN Talks Aim To Bridge Trade Gap

Trade representatives from around the world start a week of talks in Brazil on Sunday, aimed at easing the impasse between rich and developing nations. While the main event - the four-yearly UN trade conference - opens on Monday, a host of other meetings on the sidelines are getting under way.

Farm Aid Dominates Trade Talks

SAO PAULO Rich and poor nations on Sunday began trying again to narrow their differences over farm trade and to put global trade talks back on track. Farm trade reform lies at the heart of the informal talks between ministers aimed at reaching basic deals in World Trade Organization negotiations before a window of opportunity closes in July.

IATP Doesn't Praise WTO Cotton Program Ruling

MINNEAPOLIS - I wanted to clarify the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's position on the recent World Trade Organization ruling against the U.S. cotton program as reported by Jerry Hagstrom in the May 3 Agweek.

Poor Nations See Signs of Agreement in Trade Talks

SAO PAULO, Brazil - Developing nations see some signs of agreement in world-trade talks on the eve of an important meeting with rich nations to avert an impasse, Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said on Saturday.

Developing Nations Discuss Trade Barriers

On the eve of 180-nation talks aimed at easing misery through trade liberalization, developing countries met Saturday to discuss reducing barriers among themselves to boost their share of global commerce.

UNCTAD: NGO Defend Agreement For Commodities

One of the main proposals to be directed during the Society Forum that happens in Sao Paulo, for guiding to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), is the necessity of reestablishment of worldwide common agreements for the main commodities.

Talks For South-South Trade Alliance Forge Ahead

Top trade officials from around the world nations gather in Sao Paulo for a week of discussions in which Brazil hopes to forge a south-south alliance to counterbalance wealthy northern countries in trade talks.