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We had a very successful half-day event at St Barnabas church, Dulwich, on Satuday 24 September 2005 at which John Hilary spoke about the up-coming trade talks. Delegates then split up into 4 workshops that focsed on more specific topics.
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Expert outlines need to step up campaigning pressure before WTO meeting at end of year
"One of the best speakers I've heard for a very long time" was one of many enthusiastic responses to John Hilary's briefing at St Barnabas' Church on 24th September. John, who is Director of Campaigns and Policy at War on Want, outlined the tensions likely to arise at the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) due to start on 13th December 2005.
The WTO sets the rules of trade between its 148 member nations, over two thirds of whom are developing countries. The WTO has already agreed in principle that their agreements should be biased in favour of poor countries, so that they have a better chance of using trade as a way out of poverty. The sticking point is how to turn this principle into a reality.
The last set of talks, in 2003, collapsed with no agreement because a coalition of developing countries, led by China, India and Brazil, organised themselves and stood up to the EU and the US, holding out and ultimately walking away because they were not happy with the deals being offered.
John explained how campaigning by the Trade Justice Movement has changed the language that the UK government uses in its trade policy, but of course actions speak louder than words and the WTO meeting is a chance to make real changes to unfair trade rules, to shift them towards Trade Justice and away from a blanket prescription of free trade.
We have to make it clear to our government that we expect the UK to work with other WTO members to:
- Allow developing countries to use trade policies to protect their vulnerable farm sectors and promote their national industries.
- Allow countries to choose the best policies for poor people and the environment in services such as water, health and education.
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Questions, questions…
"I'm quite bowled over by the questions people have asked here today, as a professional campaigner, it's really inspired me"
John Hilary after our event on the 24th September
| Q | How do we take the argument about the need for Trade Justice to big businesses? | | A | By pushing for better corporate regulations there is an opportunity next year when a new Company Law Bill will be going through Parliament. | | Q | I’m surprised at the Trade Justice Movement's opposition to private companies supplying water to people who need it | | A | Public services have failed to provide water across communities in developing countries, but that doesn’t mean that the
private sector is the answer, even the World Bank is sceptical of this approach, after all private enterprise is driven by the search for profit and poor people can’t afford to pay very much. |
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