WTO Ministerial Conference of 2003
Encyclopedia
The Fifth Ministerial Conference
of the World Trade Organization
, also known as the WTO Fifth Ministerial Conference and abbreviated as MC5, was held at the Cancún Centro de Convenciones, Cancún
, Mexico
from September 10 to September 14, 2003.
The conference was aimed at forging agreement on the Doha Development Round. An alliance of 22 southern
states, the G20
(led by India, China and Brazil), resisted demands from the North
for agreements on the so-called "Singapore issues
" and called for an end to agricultural subsidies within the EU and the US. The talks broke down without progress.
Ministerial Conference
The Ministerial Conference is the top decision making body of the World Trade Organization . There have been six Ministerial Conferences:*WTO Ministerial Conference of 1996*WTO Ministerial Conference of 1998*WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999...
of the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
, also known as the WTO Fifth Ministerial Conference and abbreviated as MC5, was held at the Cancún Centro de Convenciones, Cancún
Cancún
Cancún is a city of international tourism development certified by the UNWTO . Located on the northeast coast of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico, more than 1,700 km from Mexico City, the Project began operations in 1974 as Integrally Planned Center, a pioneer of FONATUR Cancún is a city of...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
from September 10 to September 14, 2003.
The conference was aimed at forging agreement on the Doha Development Round. An alliance of 22 southern
North-South divide
The north–south divide is a socio-economic and political division that exists between the wealthy developed countries, known collectively as "the north", and the poorer developing countries , or "the south." Although most nations comprising the "North" are in fact located in the Northern Hemisphere ,...
states, the G20
G20 developing nations
The G20 is a bloc of developing nations established on 20 August 2003. Distinct and separate from the G-20 major economies, the group emerged at the 5th Ministerial WTO conference, held in Cancún, Mexico, from 10 September to 14 September 2003...
(led by India, China and Brazil), resisted demands from the North
The North
The North may refer to:* a geographical section of the world * the wealthy and technologically advanced nations of the world, as contrasted with the nations comprising the South...
for agreements on the so-called "Singapore issues
Singapore issues
The "Singapore issues" refers to four working groups set up during the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 1996 in Singapore. These groups are tasked with these issues: transparency in government procurement, trade facilitation , trade and investment, and trade and competition...
" and called for an end to agricultural subsidies within the EU and the US. The talks broke down without progress.