NEW YORK – The breakdown of the latest round of global trade talks has clearly weakened the multilateral trading system, a system originally designed to offer a fair trade system to all. The collapse of negotiations on July 29th in Geneva, is yet another lost opportunity for creating a more just and fair trading system long promised to poor countries.

The Millennium Goals brought together for the first time a shared vision on development representing a global partnership based on a shared responsibility by all countries. Developing countries have primary responsibility for achieving the Goals. But rich countries acknowledged in Goal 8 that poor countries can not achieve the goals unless rich countries increase and improve the effectiveness of their aid as well as change the rules of trade to foster development.