"Giving poor nations the chance to trade gives them the chance to develop. We need to increase that opportunity. The Bali conference will be a success if we manage to encourage participation in global trade, which will eventually reduce the poverty rate," the President noted at the opening of the ninth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference at Nusa Dua, Bali, on Tuesday.
During the Bali negotiations, countries must not think of themselves as rivals, he added.
"We must abandon the notion of the North (developed countries) versus the South (developing countries)," he said.
All sides must adopt the stand that they are partners in the ongoing negotiations, he added.
"For more than 13 years, developing nations have played a role in global trade growth. Developing countries now account for half of global trade, up from 34 percent in 1980. Further growth needs participation from all sides," he noted.
The President urged participants to work closely to create a balanced trading system, so that every country could enjoy the gains from global trade. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
