Kitt Expresses Delight at Deal Done in Doha

"This is a Hugh Boost for Ireland and for the Rest of the World" – Minister

"Impossible to Exaggerate Importance of this Historic Trade Deal" – Tom Kitt

The Minister for Trade and Consumer Affairs, Mr. Tom Kitt, this evening (Wednesday 14th November, 2001) expressed his delight at the agreement reached at the WTO Ministerial meeting at Qatar on a new round of global trade negotiations.

"Following on from the failure of the Seattle talks two years ago, there was clearly an added importance to reaching an agreement here", said Minister Kitt who was speaking from Qatar following a night of intensive negotiations which saw the time limit for completion of the talks extended beyond last night's midnight deadline.

"The agreement of an agenda for a new round of trade negotiations is a major shot in the arm for the world economy and Ireland, in particular, is well placed to exploit the new opportunities for promoting world trade which will result. But this is also good news for the developing economies which will now be able to take advantage of an expanding world market for their produce. It is a win win result for each of the 142 represented here in Doha", the Minister continued.

"The agreement reached in Doha on the accession of China to the WTO will add a market of 1.2 billion people to the global trading economy which can now build on the success of this achievement. It is really very difficult to exaggerate the importance of what has been achieved by this past week of talks".

The Minister acknowledged that the agreement reached on agriculture had been one of the more difficult aspects of the negotiations and he paid tribute to the role played by the Minister for Agriculture, Joe Walsh, who also attended the conference in Doha. "The presence of two Irish Ministers in Doha clearly underlines the importance which Ireland attached to a successful outcome of the talks. I am thrilled that Ireland was able to play such a constructive role in reaching this agreement", said Minister Kitt.

But the Minister went on to underline that the agreement was about a great deal more than agriculture and pointed out that the world's entire trading system will benefit. "The agreement which allows developing countries access to medicines under the so-called TRIPS agreement is one which improve the health and well being of the peoples of those countries and one in which I was centrally involved and take particular delight in", concluded Minister Kitt.