Open markets offer the only realistic hope of pulling billions of people in developing countries out of abject poverty, while sustaining prosperity in the industrialized world.

Annan frames trade liberalization not as a technical preference but as a moral and strategic necessity. “Open markets” implies reduced tariffs, quotas, and other barriers—especially in wealthy countries—so that developing nations can sell goods competitively and earn income, jobs, and investment. The second clause links this to the self-interest of industrialized states: global prosperity is portrayed as interdependent, with growth in poorer regions expanding markets and reducing instability that can spill across borders. The quote also reflects a late-1990s/early-2000s development consensus that trade access, alongside aid and governance reforms, was central to poverty reduction.