International trade experts in Latin America defend multilateralism – La República EC

In the Joint Declaration, outstanding professionals from 11 Latin American countries call for the defense of trade multilateralism.

Those who signed up have made a joint declaration, which aims, between different points, to defend and reform the World Trade Organization and to note with concern the business practices that erode multilateralism. Many of the signatories have been responsible for the conduct of trade policy by governments, international agencies and the academy.

The group, organized by former directors of the DIRECON, Alejandro Jara, Andrés Rebolledo and Osvaldo Rosales, said the multilateral trading system is in a deep crisis, where the two major economies are engaged in trade disputes that affect the entire global economy and violate the rules of the World Trade Organization. USA It implicates the WTO Appellate Body and, by blocking the appointment of its members, it could render it inoperative by the end of 2019. For its part, other countries responded with retaliatory measures.

Faced with this scenario, the signatories stated that it was essential to defend a rules-based trade and avoid a system in which political power prevails in the fields of trade and investment . In the latter scenario, the developing countries would be the most affected and Latin America would see its spaces of autonomy reduced, once the cold war of the twenty-first century entered our region. This is a danger that must be avoided.

At the same time, they call for reform and modernization of the WTO to defend multilateralism and adapt it to the new era and new demands. This refers not only to new trade issues, but also to the need to integrate trade into an inclusive and sustainable development framework.

"Latin America can not remain on the sidelines of this crucial debate, it is time for our leaders to come in. The role of Mercosur and the Pacific Alliance here is irreplaceable and has not The next meeting of the G20 in Buenos Aires is an opportunity for the region to decide in this regard, "they said in the statement.