Dear President Bush,
The recent WTO meeting in Hong Kong failed to reform trade rules to lift millions out of poverty. We can change the rules so world trade becomes part of the solution to poverty, not the cause. I urge you to forge an historic partnership to help Africa and the poorest nations overcome global AIDS and extreme poverty by making trade fair.
We urge you to direct your Administration's trade representatives to:
- Ensure the needs of the world's poorest people are kept at the forefront of WTO Doha trade negotiations;
- Open up developed country markets to products from poor countries and eliminate agricultural subsidies that cause overproduction and commodity dumping on global markets;
- Give developing countries the power to decide their own trade policies, through a democratic and transparent process;
- Offer meaningful assistance and training to increase poor countries' capacity to take advantage of new opportunities and earn the resources needed to fight poverty.
As Americans, we believe that hard work and using the opportunities given to us can make better lives for our children and ourselves. Ongoing trade negotiations are an opportunity for developed nations to keep their promises and demonstrate bold leadership by changing global trade rules to level the playing field for developing countries, giving people tools so trade can help lift them out of poverty - lifting up their own communities, their countries and eventually the global economy.
Thank you.
