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China, the EU and Latin America : current issues and future cooperation
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China theEUandLatinAmerica:TrilateralRelationsandScopeforMultilateralism 31 haveneverbeensodeficientandsoincapableinofferingleadershipandguidance. Weliveamidstnewandgrowingthreats suchasglobalwarming international terrorism intrastateviolenceandnowfinancialcollapse.Butoldchallenges suchasdisarmament widespreadhungerandpovertyremainunanswered.What isworse manyoftheseproblemsaremutuallyreinforcing.Armstrafficking forexample drainsresourcesfromthefightagainsthungerinpoorcountries whileatthe same time stoking civil wars that aggravate poverty and deforestation. Whatmodicum ofprogresshasbeenachievedon manyoftheseissuesis oftencentredinareasin whichspecificcoalitionsoflikemindeddeveloping countrieshavebeenabletoworktogetheraroundsharplyhonedagendaswith clearcutgoals.An axisofgood isevolving. Themostnotableoftheseisdoubtlessthe G20atthe World Trade Organization WTO Representing 22 per cent of world agricultural production over70 percentoffarmersand60 percentoftheplanets population itsarrivalonthescenehasensured attheveryleast thatno further WTOtradedistortingagreementswillbefoistedonfarmersinLatin America AfricaandAsia. Piecemealreviewofintellectualpropertyprotectionclauseshasalsobeen achieved underpressurefrom developingcountries many withnascentdrug industries.AsaresultofadecisionbytheWTOin2001ontheAgreementon TradeRelated AspectsofIntellectualProperty Rights TRIPS on Public Health patentrightsandtheaccruingprofitsofpharmaceuticalsnolonger automaticallytrumppublicwelfarepolicyandgeneralaccesstocheapgeneric drugs asinthecaseofantiretroviralsinAIDStreatments.Furthermore rich countriesagreedtohelpfundgenericdrugsprogrammesinpoorcountries.Here againisapolicytoempowerdevelopingcountriestohelpthemselves. Nowhereistheneedforareviewofthegroundrulesgoverninginternational relationsmoreobviousthanindevelopmentfinancing.Atpresent abattleis beingwagedfortheheartandsouloftheBretton Woodsinstitutions as developingcountries demand accessto adequatefunding forinfrastructural investmentsrequiredforlongterm growth andjobcreation.Theendto hereditaryclaimsonthetoppostattheIMF whichgoestoEuropeans andat the World Bank whichgoesto Americans isafirstandnecessarystepin ensuringthatemergingeconomieshaveagreatersayindecisionmakingand thereforeagreaterwillingnesstocontributehumanand materialresourcesto helpmaketheseinstitutionsworkeffectively. AsharedcommitmenttoopenandsoundgovernmentisbehindtheIndia