The Uruguay Round and the Arab Countries
Edited by
Said El-Naggar
Papers presented at a seminar held in Kuwait, January 17–18, 1995
International Monetary Fund
1996
© 1996 International Monetary Fund
Cover, Chart, and Interior Design: IMF Graphics Section
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The Uruguay Round and the Arab Countries : papers presented at a seminar held in Kuwait, January 17–18, 1995 / edited by Said El-Naggar.
p. cm.
Papers from a seminar sponsored by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the Arab Monetary Fund, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 1-55775-497-7 (paperbound)
1. Arab countries—Commercial policy—Congresses. 2. Uruguay Round (1987–1994)—Congresses. I. El-Naggar, Said, 1920–.
HF1610.U78 1996
382’ .3’09 74927—dc20
96-4077
CIP
Price: US$20.00
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recycled paper
Sponsoring Organizations
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The Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development
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The Arab Monetary Fund
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In cooperation with
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The International Monetary Fund
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The World Bank
Foreword
The recent conclusion of the Uruguay Round—the most comprehensive round of trade negotiations within the context of the GATT—offers hope for enhancing trade and growth opportunities worldwide. The benefits and challenges for the Arab countries of the liberalization measures encompassed under the Uruguay Round were the subject of a seminar held in Kuwait on January 17–18, 1995. The International Monetary Fund is pleased to have had the opportunity to join the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the Arab Monetary Fund, and the World Bank in sponsoring this seminar. The insight and valuable experience of Professor Said El-Naggar, who presided over the discussions, prepared the overview analysis, and edited the proceedings for publication, again proved invaluable to the success of the seminar.
The papers presented at the seminar review the results of the Uruguay Round, examine the broad policy and macroeconomic implications of trade reform for the Arab countries, and consider certain of the sectoral trade reform measures embodied in the Uruguay Round agreement and their impact on the Arab countries. I am hopeful that the publication of this volume will contribute to the understanding of the potential gains from a more liberal trade regime and will encourage the Arab countries to sustain and build on the successes achieved so far in establishing a more open trading environment.
Michel Camdessus
Managing Director
International Monetary Fund
Acknowledgments
This seminar, like the six seminars before it, was the fruit of collaborative effort among the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the Arab Monetary Fund, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. The subject of the seminar is of particular importance to the Arab countries, in view of the far-reaching implications that the Uruguay Round is likely to have for their export potential and their import capacity.
Held in Kuwait on January 17—18, 1995, the seminar provided an excellent opportunity for a number of high-level experts and policymakers to examine the various aspects of the Uruguay Round from an Arab perspective. The seven papers presented to the seminar are included in this volume, including the introductory paper prepared by the moderator.
On behalf of the participants I would like to express my thanks to Abdelatif Al-Hamad, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Jassem Al-Mannai, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Monetary Fund, and to their collaborators for their hospitality and their tireless efforts in planning and organizing the seminar. A special word of thanks is due to the IMF, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization, without whose support this seminar would not have been possible. I also would like to thank James McEuen of the IMF’s External Relations Department for editing this volume and coordinating its publication, and Alicia Etchebarne-Bourdin for manuscript preparation and composition.
Said El-Naggar
Moderator
Contents
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Foreword
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Acknowledgments
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1. Toward an Open International Trading System
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Said El-Naggar
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2. Results of the Uruguay Round
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Jesus Seade
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3. Implications of the Uruguay Round for the Arab Countries: A General Analysis
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Paul Chabrier, Mohamed A. El-Erian, and Rakia Moalla-Fetini
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4. Policy Implications of the Uruguay Round for Arab Countries
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Jamal Zarrouk
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5. The Uruguay Round and International Trade in Agricultural Products: Implications for Arab Countries
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Ian Goldin and Mylène Kherallah
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6. The Uruguay Round and International Trade in Textiles and Clothing
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Naheed Kirmani, Rupa Chanda, and Clinton Shiells
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7. Trade in Services, the GATS, and the Arab Countries
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Bernard Hoekman and Carlos A. Primo Braga
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Appendix: A Petition from the Candlemakers
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Frédéric Bastiat
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List of Participants
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Glossary
The following symbols have been used throughout this book:
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… to indicate that data are not available;
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— to indicate that the figure is zero or less than half the final digit shown, or that the item does not exist;
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– between years or months (for example, 1991–92 or January-June) to indicate the years or months covered, including the beginning and ending years or months;
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/ between years or months (for example, 1991/92) to indicate a crop or fiscal (financial) year.
“Billion” means a thousand million; “trillion” means a thousand billion.
Minor discrepancies between constituent figures and totals are due to rounding.
The term “country,” as used in this book, does not in all cases refer to a territorial entity that is a state as understood by international law and practice; the term also covers some territorial entities that are not states, but for which statistical data are maintained and provided internationally on a separate and independent basis.