Doha Merchandise Trade Reform: WhatÂ’s at Stake for Developing Countries?

Kym Anderson, Will Martin and Dominique van der Mensbrugghe ()

No 2005-16, Centre for International Economic Studies Working Papers from University of Adelaide, Centre for International Economic Studies

Abstract: This paper provides new estimates of the global gains from multilateral trade reform and their distribution among developing countries in the presence of trade preferences. Particular attention is given to agriculture, as farmers constitute the poorest households in developing countries but the most assisted in rich countries. The latest GTAP database (Version 6.05) and the World BankÂ’s LINKAGE model of the global economy are employed to examine the impact first of current merchandise trade barriers and agricultural subsidies, and then of possible reform outcomes from the WTOÂ’s Doha Development Agenda. The results suggest moving to free global merchandise trade would boost real incomes in Sub-Saharan Africa proportionately more than in other developing countries or high-income countries, despite a terms of trade loss in parts of that region. Net farm incomes would all rise substantially in that and other developing country regions, thereby alleviating rural poverty. A Doha partial liberalization could move the world some way towards those desirable outcomes, but more so the more developing countries themselves cut applied tariffs, particularly on agricultural imports.

Keywords: Trade policy reform; WTO; multilateral negotiations; computable general equilibrium; developing countries. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C68 D58 F13 F17 Q17 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 37 pages
Date: 2005-08
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Doha Merchandise Trade Reform: What Is at Stake for Developing Countries? (2006)
Working Paper: Doha merchandise trade reform: what's at stake for developing countries ? (2006)
Working Paper: Doha Merchandise Trade Reform: What?s at Stake for Developing Countries? (2005)
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