Fed: Downer says free trade helps poor nations

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2000
Fed: Downer says free trade helps poor nations

CANBERRA, Aug 15 AAP - Free trade was one of the best ways to ensure poor nations got
food, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

Opening a conference organised by the Crawford Fund, Mr Downer said some of the world's
richest nations were guilty of supporting policies that undermined free trade.

He said Australia would continue to support free trade as it was the best way of helping
poor nations gain access to food.

"The simple fact is that no single measure will do more to promote food security in
developing countries than a reduction in trade barriers," he said.

The Crawford Fund is a publicly and privately funded organisation which helps foster
discussion on technological, engineering and agricultural issues.

Mr Downer likened the creation of trade barriers to the construction of the Maginot
Line by France in the 1930s to protect itself from Germany.

He said many Asian countries had been able to transform themselves from agrarian societies
to industrialised nations because of liberalised trade, bringing democracy, government
accountability and basic human rights.

This had led to better access to education, information and technology for millions of people.

"Today, unfortunately, simplistic and counterproductive approaches to ensuring food
security continue to hold wide sway," he said.

"It is the most prosperous nations, I'm thinking in particular of the European Union
and the United States, that are, sadly, guilty of some of the practices and policies most
pernicious to achieving a more equitable distribution of critical resources, including
food."

AAP sw/mfh

KEYWORD: TRADE

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