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From: Akina Mama wa Afrika(Ndey Jobarteh) <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 27 September 1999 20:53
Subject: Africa: Trade Issues
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>>Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 22:22:31 -0500
>>Subject: Africa: Trade Issues
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>>Africa: Trade Issues
>>Date distributed (ymd): 990924
>>Document reposted by APIC
>>
>>+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
>>
>>Region: Continent-Wide
>>Issue Areas: +economy/development+
>>Summary Contents:
>>This posting contains excerpts from a press release and the
>>concluding statement from the Africa Trade Network conference
>>in Accra in early September, with statements opposing new
>>issues and calling for review of existing agreements in the
>>World Trade Organization ministerial conference scheduled for
>>the end of November 1999 in Seattle.
>>
>>+++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>
>>Marking the international civil society day of action
>>against the new issues in the WTO in Ghana
>>
>>Excerpt from Press Release
>>
>>For more information about this and the statement below
>>contact:
>>Third World Network- Africa
>>P O Box AN 19452
>>Accra-North, Ghana
>>Tel: 233 21 302107/310634/306069/301064
>>fax: 233 21 311687/231688/773857
>>email: [log in to unmask]
>>
>>A lively and engaging press conference with about 30
>>representatives of news organisations in Ghana concluded the
>>activities undertaken by four Ghanaian civil society
>>organisations in Ghana to mark the international day of action
>>against the millennium round in the WTO. The press conference,
>>which was later broadcast on the nightly news bulletins of the
>>two main television stations of the country, as well as the
>>wire of the Ghana News Agency, was preceded earlier in the day
>>by discussions and exchanges with trade officials and with
>>Ghana's Minister of Trade and Industry.
>>
>>These activities were jointly organised by the Third World
>>Network, Africa; the General Agricultural Workers Union of
>>Ghana; the Ghana Chapter of the Association of African Women
>>in Research and Development; and Friends of the Earth-Ghana.
>>All the organisations are members of the Africa Trade Network.
>>
>>The hour and half-long meeting with the Minister was a
>>thoughtful and rigorous exchange of ideas and information over
>>a wide range of issues and concerns at stake for African and
>>other developing countries at the forthcoming 3rd Ministerial
>>Conference of the WTO. The civil society organisations briefed
>>the minister on the conclusions of the meeting of the Africa
>>Trade Network held in Accra from 31 August - 3rd September.
>>
>>The Minister welcomed the civil society initiative for the
>>discussions, and agreed with the importance of the issues
>>raised and the positions put forward by the civil society
>>organisations. He also affirmed Ghana's active commitment to
>>the positions taken of the key issues of investment by the
>>African group of countries at the WTO, as well as the group of
>>77 countries. He underlined the need to address the problems
>>of lack of capacity of African countries to participate
>>meaningfully in the negotiations.
>>
>>In this context, both sides agreed on the usefulness of
>>continuing these exchanges between the government and civil
>>society organisations. Copies of number of statements, papers
>>and publications were given to the Minister and to the trade
>>officials.
>>
>>The press conference followed on straight afterwards. In the
>>joint press statement read on their behalf by Yao Graham
>>(Third World Network, Africa), the four organisations who
>>hosted the conference informed the journalists that the
>>international day of action against the World Trade
>>Organisation was important for two reasons.
>>
>>First, the WTO has become the most powerful international
>>institution, whose rules and decisions determine the economic
>>activities of enterprises, workers, farmers, women, and
>>ordinary people in each of the 134 member countries, and
>>beyond. And yet many ordinary people do not know about these
>>decisions, let alone have a chance to influence them.
>>
>>Secondly, the day of action was even more urgent in view of
>>the possible dangers posed to African and indeed developing
>>country economies by the forthcoming Ministerial Conference of
>>the WTO. The Ministerial Conference is the highest
>>decision-making body of the World Trade Organisation. For the
>>coming meeting, the advanced industrial countries, notably the
>>USA, the European Union, Canada, and Japan are seeking to
>>grant comprehensive new powers to the WTO over issues which
>>should normally not fall within the ambit of the WTO.
>>
>>The most critical of these new powers relate to national
>>policies on investment, government procurement, and
>>competition. In each of these areas, the advanced industrial
>>countries areadvancing proposals whose effect will be to prise
>>open developing country markets for the big companies from the
>>West at the expense of local and national enterprise from the
>>developing countries, and of the needs of the people --
>>workers, farmers, women -- and of the environment.
>>
>>The statement noted that developing countries, with African
>>countries in the lead in some cases, have opposed this attempt
>>not only because these new powers will prevent developing
>>countries from taking measures which will encourage the growth
>>of development of their own enterprises and local economy.
>>
>>Developing countries have also opposed the attempt to
>>introduce these new items on to the WTO agenda because it will
>>be at the expense of developing countries who are asking for
>>the WTO to focus first on improving the existing WTO rules and
>>secondly to ensure that the developed countries fulfil their
>>obligations to the developing countries as was agreed in
>>earlier ministerial conferences.
>>
>>As an instance of the demand by African countries for the WTO
>>to review its existing rules which are harming or stand to
>>harm their economies, the statement cited the proposal put
>>forward by Kenya has on behalf of the African group at the
>>WTO, calling for a review of the agreement on intellectual
>>property to stop the patenting of life, as well as the
>>appropriation of the common knowledge systems of African
>>countries by big pharmaceutical companies from the North.
>>
>>[the statement below was read]
>>
>>The statement was followed by over an hour of animated
>>discussion. Most of the journalists who spoke were outraged
>>with the proposals for new issues and were concerned that the
>>government is able to defend the country's interests. They
>>also wanted to know what the government was doing and how. The
>>members of the ATN who hosted the conference reported on their
>>meeting with the Minister of Trade and with the officials
>>earlier in the day.
>>
>>The discussion recognized out that where the government
>>officials and trade representatives were aware of the dangers
>>posed by the new proposed WTO round and desired to take
>>appropriate action, they still faced immense pressure from the
>>Northern countries who were prepared to use many means
>>including development assistance as blackmail to prevent the
>>developing countries, and especially African, governments from
>>advancing their own interests.
>>
>>It was important in this regard that the citizens of the
>>country are aware of the issues and active in demanding that
>>their government promote their interests in the negotiations.
>>The meeting agreed that the journalists had a big role to play
>>in this regard. They also agreed for more such organized
>>interactions between civil society organizations and the media
>>to ensure that the interest of African and other developing
>>countries are protected in the Seattle Ministerial Conference
>>and beyond.
>>
>>***********************************************************
>>
>>AFRICAN CIVIL SOCIETY SAYS NO NEW ROUND;
>>TURN AROUND EXISTING AGREEMENTS!
>>
>>Statement of African civil society on
>>the Third Ministerial Conference of WTO
>>(World Trade Organization)
>>
>>[Adopted at meeting of African Trade Network, held in Accra,
>>Ghana, September 1999. The African Trade Network was formed
>>in February 1998. The meeting was hosted by the Accra-based
>>Third World Network-Africa secretariat.]
>>
>>We, the undersigned members of African civil society
>>representing trade unions, social movements, womens groups and
>>other civil society groups, are opposed to any attempt to
>>expand the powers of the WTO [World Trade Organization]
>>through a new comprehensive round of trade liberalisation.
>>Instead, governments should review and rectify the
>>deficiencies of the system and the WTO regime itself, as part
>>of the ongoing processes within the WTO. We therefore, call
>>for a moratorium on new issues or further negotiations that
>>expand the scope and power of the WTO. In this, we join the
>>worldwide campaign of international civil society against the
>>proposed Millennium Round, which could be launched at the
>>Third Ministerial Conference in November 1999, in Seattle,
>>USA.
>>
>>The Uruguay Round Agreements and the establishment of the WTO
>>were proclaimed as means of enhancing the creation of global
>>wealth and prosperity and promoting the well-being of all
>>people in all member states. In reality however, in the past
>>five years the WTO regime has contributed to the concentration
>>of wealth in the hands of the rich few; increasing poverty and
>>indebtedness for the majority of the world's population; and
>>unsustainable patterns of production and consumption. The
>>Uruguay Round Agreements have functioned principally to prise
>>open markets for the benefit of transnational corporations at
>>the expense of national economies; workers, farmers, women and
>>other groups in the developing world; and the environment. In
>>addition, the WTO system, rules and procedures are
>>undemocratic, untransparent and non-accountable and have
>>operated to marginalise the majority of the world's people.
>>
>>All this has taken place in the context of increasing global
>>economic instability, the collapse of national economies,
>>increasing inequity both between and within nations and
>>increasing environmental and social degradation, as a result
>>of the acceleration of the process of globalisation. Those
>>governments that dominate the WTO, and that together with the
>>transnational corporations have benefited from the WTO system,
>>have refused to recognise and address these problems. Instead,
>>they are pushing for further liberalisation through the
>>introduction of new issues for adoption in the WTO. This will
>>lead to the exacerbation of the crisis associated with the
>>process of globalisation and the WTO.
>>
>>NO TO NEW ISSUES
>>
>>We oppose the introduction of the proposed new issues in the
>>WTO, such as investment, competition policy and government
>>procurement. The present Working Groups to study these issues
>>should continue their work, or be closed down. They must not
>>be 'upgraded' into negotiating groups for new agreements. We
>>are also opposed to a new round of industrial tariff
>>reductions.
>>
>>We commit ourselves to campaign to reject any such proposals.
>>We believe that proposals by EU, Japan and others to
>>negotiate an Investment Agreement are attempts to transfer the
>>utterly discredited MAI from the OECD to the WTO. This should
>>be firmly resisted and rejected. We also believe that
>>government procurement decisions (especially giving preference
>>to local firms) are sovereign rights of our African countries
>>and should not be brought into the WTO. Further, competition
>>policy and law should be domestic issues and not be subjected
>>to WTO disciplines.
>>
>>On proposals to pressure countries to further cut industrial
>>tariffs, we wish to state that African countries have already
>>drastically reduced their tariffs (especially under structural
>>adjustment programmes) and this has led to closure of local
>>enterprises and de-industralisation. The WTO should not be
>>used to lock in and further reduce industrial tariffs in
>>Africa and the South. We thus reject another round of
>>industrial tariff cuts. Instead the North should cut its
>>tariff peaks in products exported by the South.
>>
>>TURNAROUND EXISTING AGREEMENTS
>>
>>We call for a moratorium on new issues and further
>>negotiations that expand the scope and power of the WTO.
>>During the moratorium, there should be a comprehensive and
>>in-depth review and assessment of the impacts of existing
>>agreements. Effective steps must be taken to change the
>>inherent imbalances and inequities of the WTO system and in
>>the existing agreements. We call for particular action in the
>>following areas:
>>
>>1. SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL RIGHTS
>>
>>Special and differential rights are principles, which are
>>firmly established within GATT, in order to correct the
>>imbalances of the system, which work against developing
>>countries. There have been increasing pressures since the
>>Uruguay Round to limit the scope and significance of these
>>rights. These rights must be reasserted as existing rights,
>>which are necessary for the fair and equitable operation of
>>the multilateral trading system. They are not 'favours'
>>granted to the developing countries. Developing countries must
>>see these rights as necessary to develop their capacities and
>>to promote the interests of their people within the
>>multilateral trading system. Therefore, we call on developing
>>countries, particularly the African countries, to defend,
>>exercise and expand the scope of these rights, in accordance
>>with their own development needs and aims.
>>
>>2. AGREEMENT ON TRADE RELATED ASPECTS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
>>RIGHTS (TRIPS)
>>
>>Article 27.3(b) of the TRIPS Agreement should be reformulated
>>to exclude the patenting of life forms; as follows: 'Members
>>must exclude from patentability all living organisms including
>>plants, animals, microorganisms and parts thereof, and any
>>processes making use thereof, and relating thereto'.
>>
>>In this regard, we support the position as expressed in the
>>African Group paper to the WTO General Council, submitted by
>>Kenya on behalf of the Group. We express full support for the
>>Joint NGO Statement of Support for the Africa Group Proposals
>>on Review of the TRIPS Agreement (Article 27.3(b)). We
>>therefore, call on African political leaders and diplomats in
>>each country to stand firm in their position and to further
>>develop this position with concrete proposals to prohibit the
>>patenting of life forms, and to ensure the protection of
>>traditional knowledge and the rights of local communities over
>>biological resources
>>
>>3. AGREEMENT ON AGRICULTURE
>>
>>In African countries, as in most other developing countries,
>>small women farmers form a major part of the population. Their
>>livelihoods and products (especially food) are the main basis
>>of Third World economies. These are threatened by agriculture
>>liberalisation under the Agriculture Agreement. In developing
>>countries, food production for domestic consumption and the
>>measures and policies for the protection of small farmers
>>should be exempted from the Agriculture Agreement's
>>disciplines on import liberalisation, domestic support and
>>subsidies.
>>
>>4. AGREEMENT ON TRADE RELATED INVESTMENT MEASURES (TRIMS)
>>
>>In the review of the TRIMS Agreement, we call for an amendment
>>to allow developing countries the right to have 'local
>>content' policy (i.e., to require firms or projects to use a
>>certain minimum amount of local materials) so as to help
>>development of domestic economic activity and conserve scarce
>>foreign exchange. In addition, developing countries must be
>>allowed to take measures for balancing the flow of foreign
>>exchange. Moreover, no new investment measures should be added
>>to the list in the TRIMS Agreement. Nor should there be
>>expansion of the scope of the TRIMS Agreement to cover
>>investment and competition policy.
>>
>>5. REFORMS OF THE WTO SYSTEM
>>
>>For most developing-country members of WTO and for the public
>>and legislatures in all member countries there is lack of
>>transparency and democracy in the WTO system and processes --
>>its rule making, negotiations, monitoring and
>>dispute-settlement. We urge that the Seattle Ministerial
>>Conference take decisions to make the WTO system more open,
>>transparent, democratic and participatory to developing
>>countries, legislatures and civil society. These include but
>>are not limited, to the following:
>>
>>* Consultations, discussion, negotiations and decision-making
>>in WTO have to be truly transparent, open, participatory and
>>democratic.
>>
>>* Any proposals on rules or for new agreements should be made
>>known in their draft form to the public at least 6 months
>>before decisions are taken so that civil society in each
>>country can study them and influence their legislatures and
>>governments.
>>
>>* All WTO members must be allowed to be present and
>>participate in discussions and negotiations (including in
>>informal groups and meetings where many key decisions are
>>made). The practice of small informal groups making decisions
>>for all Members should be discontinued.
>>
>>* Legislatures should be constantly informed of proposals and
>>developments at WTO and have the right to make policy choices
>>regarding proposals in WTO.
>>
>>* Civil society should be given genuine opportunities to know
>>about and to express their views, and participate and
>>influence the outcome of policies.
>>
>>We call on our governments in Africa and other Third World
>>countries to reject the new issues being proposed so that our
>>national sovereignty and development options can be protected,
>>and to demand for a review and reform of the WTO rules and
>>system. We pledge to work with NGOs in other Third World
>>countries in our common struggle on these issues.
>>
>>We also appeal to our civil society colleagues in the
>>developed countries, on the basis of our common humanity and
>>in the interest of our common planetary home, to join with us
>>in solidarity and campaign against the proposal for new
>>issues, and for the review and reform of the WTO system and
>>agreements.
>>
>>Signatories include:
>>
>>TANGO, Gambia; International South Group Network (ISGN),
>>Zimbabwe; ENDA Tiers Monde, Senegal; Alternative Information
>>and Development Centre (AIDC), S. Africa; Motheho Integrity
>>Consultants, South Africa; Development Innovations & Networks
>>(IRED), Zimbabwe; Inter Press Service, Africa; MWENGO,
>>Zimbabwe; Environmental Rights Action, Nigeria; CCA-ONG,
>>Mali; African Development Education Network (ADEN), Senegal;
>>Organisation of Africa Trade Union Unity (OATUU); Friends of
>>the Earth, Ghana; Association of Africa Women for Research
>>and Development (AAWORD), Ghana; Third World Network (TWN);
>>Integrated Social Development Centre, (ISODEC) Ghana;
>>ActionAid, Gambia; Oxfam; General Agricultural Workers Union
>>(GAWU), Ghana; Africa Trade Network
>>
>>Those who would like to sign on to it should write to "Africa
>>Trade Network"<[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>Distributed by: Motheho Integrity Trade Consultants P.O.Box
>>3977 Johannesburg, 2000 [log in to unmask]
>>
>>************************************************************
>>This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the
>>Africa Policy Information Center (APIC). APIC's primary
>>objective is to widen the policy debate in the United States
>>around African issues and the U.S. role in Africa, by
>>concentrating on providing accessible policy-relevant
>>information and analysis usable by a wide range of groups and
>>individuals.
>>
>>Auto-response addresses for more information (send any e-mail
>>message): [log in to unmask] (about the Africa Policy
>>Electronic Distribution List); [log in to unmask] (about APIC).
>>Documents previously distributed, as well as a wide range of
>>additional information, are also available on the Web at:
>>http://www.africapolicy.org
>>
>>To be added to or dropped from the distribution list write to
>>[log in to unmask] For more information about reposted material,
>>please contact directly the source mentioned in the posting.
>>
>>Africa Policy Information Center,
>>110 Maryland Ave. NE, #509, Washington, DC 20002.
>>Phone: 202-546-7961. Fax: 202-546-1545.
>>E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>>************************************************************
>>
>>
>
>
>akina mama wa afrika ([log in to unmask])
>
>
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