UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, is to address the opening session a UN Trade and Development Conference attended by ministers from around the globe. The four-yearly event in Sao Paulo is seen as a make or break opportunity for developing countries to get better trade deals from wealthy nations. The conference itself does not make trade rules, which is the job of the Word Trade Organisation. Talks there broke down last year at the last WTO meeting in Cancun, Mexico.

The speakers in Sao Paulo are expected to urge developing countries to stick together to consolidate a single negotiating position in trade talks with the wealthy nations. Speaking at one of the many side meetings before the main event gets under way, Mr Annan stressed on the need for changes in trade.

The sad truth is, he said, that the world is a more unequal place than it was 40 years ago when the UN Trade and Development Conference was founded.

Brazil?s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has made it clear he wants to get consensus from the developing world to stand firm in demands for rich countries to open up their markets and cut agricultural subsidies. Getting world trade talks moving again is being seen as a matter of urgency here.

Many developing countries fear that if no progress is made this year, it will allow the rich nations to divide and rule. They predict Europe and the United States will make a series of separate trade agreements to gain access to the markets of developing countries without having to make serious concessions themselves.