At a time when the US and EU are mounting pressure for completing global trade talks, a host of African nations today joined India in opposing “artificial timelines” for the Doha round which, they said, should focus on the needs of the poor and developing countries.

“We are convinced that the process to be adopted to reach convergence in the WTO negotiations requires focus on content and not artificial timelines. The promise of a development round must be fully realised,” the draft Delhi Declaration of the Africa-India Forum Summit said. The summit attended by the heads of state and government from Africa, representing the continent, the African Union and its institutions adopted the declaration. It said that while agriculture remains the key to conclusion of the Doha Round, “any acceptable agreement must adequately protect the livelihood, food security and rural development concerns of developing countries”.

It also said that the outcome should bring about significant and effective reductions in trade-distorting domestic support and subsidies provided by developed countries.