---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 11:23:50 -0700 From: International Bicycle Fund <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: [log in to unmask] To: "wa-afr-network @egroups.com" <[log in to unmask]> Subject: [wa-afr-network] Fw: (wto) SUPPORT AFRICAN CIVIL SOCIETY STATEMENT ON WTO -----Original Message----- From: Margrete Strand-Rangnes <[log in to unmask]> To: Multiple recipients of list MAI-NOT <[log in to unmask]> Date: Tuesday, September 07, 1999 3:12 PM Subject: (wto) SUPPORT AFRICAN CIVIL SOCIETY STATEMENT ON WTO >NO NEW ROUND; TURN AROUND EXISTING AGREEMENTS! > >Statement of African civil society on the Third Ministerial Conference >of WTO > >We, the undersigned members of African civil society representing trade >unions, social movements and other civil society groups, are opposed to >any attempt to expand the powers of the WTO 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 >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: > > a.. Consultations, discussion, negotiations and decision-making in >WTO have to be truly transparent, open, participatory and democratic. > > a.. 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. > > a.. 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. > > a.. Legislatures should be constantly informed of proposals and >developments at WTO and have the right to make policy choices regarding >proposals in WTO. > > a.. 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. > >SEND YOU SIGNATURE AND ENDORSEMENT TO:"Africa Trade Network" ><[log in to unmask]> > > Signatories > > >1. TANGO, Gambia > >2. International South Group Network (ISGN), Zimbabwe > >3. ENDA Tiers Monde, Senegal > >4. Alternative Information and Development Centre (IADC), S. Africa > >5. Motheho Integrity Consultants, South Africa > >6. Development Innovations & Networks (IRED), Zimbabwe > >7. Inter Press Service, Africa > >8. MWENGO, Zimbabwe > >9. Environmental Rights Action, Nigeria > >10. CCA-ONG, Mali > >11. African Development Education Network (ADEN), Senegal > >12. Organisation of Africa Trade Union Unity (OATUU) > >13. Friends of the Earth, Ghana > >14. Association of Africa Women for Research and Development (AAWORD), Ghana > >15. Third World Network (TWN) > > 1.. Integrated Social Development Centre, (ISODEC) Ghana > 2.. ActionAid, Gambia > 3.. Oxfam > 4.. General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), Ghana > 5.. Africa Trade Network > >--------------------------- > >Distributed By Motheho Integrity Consultants >P.O. Box 3977 >Johannesburg, South Africa 2000 >[log in to unmask] > > >========================= > >NEW CITIZEN'S GUIDE TO THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION! >On the Internet at http://www.tradewatch.org/publications/gtwpubs.htm >FOR MULTIPLE COPIES CONTACT PUBLIC CITIZEN 202-588-1000 OR GO TO >http://www.citizen.org/newweb/publicat.htm > >********************************** >In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed >without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the >included information for research and educational purposes. > >Margrete Strand Rangnes >MAI Project Coordinator >Public Citizen Global Trade Watch >215 Pennsylvania Ave, SE >Washington DC, 20003 USA >[log in to unmask] >202-454-5106 >202-547 7392 (fax) > >To subscribe to our MAI Listserv send an e-mail to [log in to unmask], or >subscribe directly by going to our website, >www.tradewatch.org (Please indicate organizational affiliation if any, and >also where you found out about this listserv) > >Search the MAI-NOT & MAI-INTL archives at http://lists.essential.org/ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MyPoints-Free Rewards When You're Online. Start with up to 150 Points for joining! http://clickhere.egroups.com/click/805 Next meeting of the Washington State Delegation - National Summit Africa is Sept 12, 3-6 PM. 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