International agency Oxfam on Wednesday said the G20 meeting in New Delhi was a timely show of unity and an opportunity to address important trade reform issues ahead of the WTO ministerial in Hong Kong at the end of the year.
Oxfam said the fact that coordinators from other developing country groups (G33, LDC, Africa group, ACP, CARICOM) had been invited to the meeting, was a good sign of developing countries' intention to work together in the run-up to the Hong Kong ministerial.
"There is a lot to be done in the next 9 months but one thing is certain, there will be no pro-development outcome at the WTO unless developing countries work together. The G20, as the most coherent and powerful southern voice in WTO negotiations, has a special responsibility to defend those who are voiceless," Celine Charveriat, head of Oxfam International's Geneva office said.
"Seven out of ten people in the world's poorest countries are employed in agriculture and agricultural reform is essential for poverty reduction. Poor countries must not let themselves be tricked out of getting what they were promised, nor must they be forced to make concessions in other areas before getting guarantees on agriculture," she said.
The G20 meeting, beginning on March 17, takes place at a critical phase in the WTO negotiations with the make or break ministerial in December in Hong Kong fast approaching, and before that, the General Council meeting in July offering a chance to work out crucial details.