International development agency ActionAid today branded the ten years since the launch of the World Trade Organisation as a 'decade of despair' for poor countries.
This message came on the eve of the WTO's three-day public symposium to review its progress over the 10 years.
ActionAid trade policy analyst Tim Rice said: "Few people in developing countries will celebrate the WTO's tenth anniversary. Poor people see the years since its foundation as a decade of despair. All this time later, unfair world trade rules still rob developing countries of £1.3 billion a day - 14 times what they get in aid.
"Wealthy nations' governments are struggling to conclude the Doha round of negotiations. Poor countries' governments face growing pressure to accept the lie that this round will help their development. And rich nations continue to cut the global trade cake - leaving only crumbs for poor people."