Developing Country Coalition-Building and International Trade Negotiations

Abstract

For much of the post-war era, the stance of developing countries towards international trade negotiations has encompassed two somewhat contradictory strategies: on the one hand, considerable energy in maintaining the unity of a developing country bloc that vocally expressed concern over the existing trading system and demanded changes in it; on the other, a relatively passive attitude toward the negotiation rounds themselves.1 This strategy has long been criticized by Northern sceptics, and preparations for the Uruguay Round demonstrated discontent among some of the developing countries themselves. Arguments for a more active participation by developing countries in trade negotiations have seldom dealt specifically with the other strategies that could be pursued more successfully, however. Our examination of possible coalition strategies for the developing countries in the Uruguay Round and other international economic negotiations is motivated by an awareness of both the existing criticisms of the bloc strategy previously endorsed by G-77 and the underlying logic of that strategy: individually, the developing countries are not major powers in the international trading system. For those with less power, skilful strategies of coalition formation are a major implement for increasing success in such negotiations.