The Financing for Development process emphasizes that a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system, as well as meaningful trade liberalization, can substantially stimulate development worldwide, benefiting all countries at all stages of development.

The Monterrey Consensus acknowledged “the issues of particular concern to developing countries and countries with economies in transition in international trade, to enhance their capacity to finance their development,” including “the need for special and differential treatment provisions for developing countries in trade agreements”.

The Doha Declaration called for “the implementation of the ministerial declaration of the World Trade Organization adopted at its Sixth Ministerial Conference, held in Hong Kong, China, on the central importance of the development dimension in every aspect of the Doha Development Agenda work programme and its commitment to making the development dimension a meaningful reality.”

Member States agreed “that maximizing the benefits and minimizing the costs of international trade liberalization calls for development-oriented and coherent policies at all levels.”