US Presidential Candidates Support Expanded Trade with Developing World | Voice of America - English
Both candidates in the U.S. presidential election say they would like to expand trade with the developing world by opening the country's markets to foreign goods.  They are also calling for an end to trade barriers that prevent U.S.
The 2008 Republican Party platform builds on several policiesthat have enjoyed the support of the Bush administration. They includethe African Growth and Opportunity Act, an effort to increase Africanexports to the United States by eliminating trade barriers.Another is the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which makes aid to adeveloping country conditional on a record of good economic andpolitical governance. The MCC has committed more than $6 billiondollars to 18 countries in the form of multi-year grants to improvetheir economies. Eleven of those are in Africa. J. Peter Pham is the director of the Nelson Institute for Internationaland Public Affairs at James Madison University outside Washington. Heis also an advisor to the Republican Party on African issues. Pham says a McCain presidency would build on the success of theseprograms, which have been part of the party's platforms during the pasteight years. "In the platform of 2000, AGOA was supported," Pham explains, "though it was aninitiative that had been begun under Clinton. The Republican Congresssubsequently renewed and extended it. The platform also called for newaid mechanisms that reward [a country's] progress on objectiveindicators [such as good governance and economic reform]. [That effortled to the creation of] the Millennium Challenge Corporation, [whichmakes development] funds available to countries that show significantprogress." The Democratic Party platform also supports these programs.Witney W. Schneidman is an unofficial advisor on Africa to the campaignof Barack Obama. He was also the deputy assistant secretary of statefor African affairs in the Clinton administration.Schneidman says the Democratic Party's platform includes improvingfinancial support for the Millennium Challenge Corporation. "There are many who think [the MCC] is a good idea but hasunderperformed," says Schnedman. " A number of commitments have been made but it has beenslow in getting resources out the door. That will have to be looked at- how we can accelerate the MCC's impact on the continent." Schneidman says Senator Obama favors establishing what iscalled an Add Value to Agriculture Initiative, which would work withland-grant institutions, private philanthropies and businesses topromote innovation in global food production. The initiative would,among other things, work for improved irrigation methods, seeds andfertilizers for farmers in the developing world. The Democratic Party platform emphasizes enforceable internationallabor and environmental standards. Both parties also support a cap andtrade program, which sets limits on greenhouse gas emissions, but alsoallows for the sale of rights to excess emissions. Senator Obama says he would renegotiate the North American Free TradeAgreement to include labor and environment reform, and he says he isopposed to the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Senator McCain says hewants to expand free trade and says renegotiating NAFTA would lead tomore trade barriers. He says he supports the Colombia Free TradeAgreement.The Republican Party platform says the prosperity of U.S. farmersdepends on open markets, noting that U.S. agricultural exports will top$100 billion this year. J. Peter Pham notes that Senator McCain is in favor of cutting U.S.subsidies to American farmers, a demand made by many developingcountries. Those countries complain that government support to U.S. and Europeanfarmers gives Western products an unfair advantage in world markets. They say as a result, African farmers cannot compete against cheaperWestern imports, even in their own market places. "Senator McCain has not hidden the fact that he opposes farmsubsidies," says Pham. He was one of 22 senators to vote against the currentagriculture bill. His position is quite clear. Republicans fromagricultural states will beg to differ, and they will have to work outlanguage that states the party's position in a way that is acceptableto suit both the candidate and to the majority of the party." Pham says U.S. cotton farmers receive up to $5 billion in government subsidies. Ending them, he says, would boost theincomes of West Africa's cotton producers by more than 10 percent. Headds, for example, that would add $40 million to the economy ofBurkina Faso, a country that receives more than $15 million ayear in U.S. foreign assistance. The Republican Party platform favors an approach to climate change thatemphasizes technology-driven and market-based solutions to reducegreenhouse gasses in the atmosphere and to improve energy efficiency.Senator McCain told a conference on the global economy in May that heplans to help developing countries by sharing American technologies andsupporting micro-banking programs. He has also proposed a ClimatePrize worth millions of dollars to scientists who contribute solutionsto climate change. The Democratic Party platform says an Obama administration would workto include the largest carbon-emitting nations to join a new GlobalEnergy Forum to create the next generation of climate protocols.It also calls for the complete cancellation of debt to the world'sheavily indebted poor countries. The platform says a Democraticadministration would set up a fund to provide seed capital andtechnical assistance to small and medium enterprises in the developingworld. Observers note that world economic turmoil may lead the candidates toreconsider their priorities, including economic assistance to thedeveloping world.