Cancun: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has ripped into the world's richest countries, accusing them of leaving billions in poverty and misery through unfair trade policies.

"The damage is profound and the victims can be counted in the billions. They include the poor farmers who are driven out of the business by trade barriers ... the sick and dying whose suffering has been needlessly prolonged by lack of affordable medicines,'' Annan said in a speech read to the opening of the World Trade Organisation Ministerial conference.

The head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, Rubens Ricupero, read the speech on September 10 after Annan was forced to pull out to attend a UN Security Council meeting in Geneva.

Annan called on rich nations to be fair and honest in the talks over the next few days, which are supposed to pave the way for a new treaty to liberalise international trade by the end of next year.

"We are told that trade can provide a ladder to a better life and deliver us from poverty and despair, and we are led to hope that the current round of trade negotiations will deliver on this promise,'' Annan said.

"Sadly, the reality of the international trading system today doesn't match the rhetoric. Instead of open markets there are too many barriers that stunt, stifle and stop it. Instead of fair competition there are subsidies by rich countries that tilt the playing field against the poor.''

Annan said the answer was not to abandon the WTO's system of setting rules but to ensure that in the future they benefit all countries.

Agencies