Malaysian Prime Minister Mr Mahathir Mohamad has proposed rich nations pay a "world tax" to help build infrastructure in poor countries.
In return, developing countries would cooperate in World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks on liberalising the global economy.
"The rich will not take note of these proposals. But if they want the poor to come on board the WTO and globalisation they should make wealth-sharing quite certain by agreeing to this world tax," Mr Mahathir said today in a speech made at a conference of African leaders.
"It is only fair that these countries pay statutory taxes to the world because they are considerably enriched by the world," said Mr Mahathir.
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Mr Mahathir noted that multinational companies based in the rich world were often given generous tax exemptions by poor host countries desperate to attract foreign investment.
"As a result, most tax paid by giant corporations was paid in their home countries, bypassing the poor world in which they operated," Mr Mahathir said.
In his remarks, Mr Mahathir suggested the world tax actually be paid by a multinational's home government.
He gave few details of how the tax would operate but suggested the amount of world tax payable by a government of a rich nation would be in proportion to the amount of tax it derived from multinational firms registered in its territory.
Poor countries are resisting participation in a new round of WTO talks, with many arguing that rich countries must first remove subsidies and other measures that make it very difficult for poor countries' products to compete in their markets.