Women's NGOs'Press Release on Draft WTO text
(photo: 'Mad Cow Disease'by sculptor Jens Galschiot, from website of Art in Defence of Humanism (AIDOH))
With the release of the December 18, 2005 Draft Ministerial Text, it has become to clear to International Gender and Trade Network (IGTN) that development has been lost in this round. The latest draft Ministerial Declaration (18 December 2005 – Ref 05-6190) will ensure that the global trading system works for the development of corporate profits and shareholder earnings – not developing country economies and their people. The text has clearly been written by the most powerful countries for the promotion of their corporate interests and will only exacerbate the existing inequalities between countries, between people, and between men and women. Developed and developing countries are not equal trading partners and this revised text has proven this once again. The most developing countries will go away with is a handful of protective commitments in Agriculture (eg. para 5 on effective cuts in trade distorting domestic supports and para 7 on the designation and treatment of Special Products and Special Safeguard Mechanisms) and NAMA (eg. para 15 reference to para 8 of NAMA Framework and para 17 on non-linear mark-up approach), but are being penalized with Annex C’s expansive escalation in services liberalization.
Overall, the balance between Special and Differential Treatment and Market Access remains skewed in favor of market access formulas and modalities favorable to the developed countries. Developing countries are once again being asked to trade away their citizen’s livelihoods, food security, jobs, education and health and the policy space to address ensure these fundamental human rights in exchange for meager concession.
Comments from IGTN:
“This is not a development round it is a development round up! The US, EU and their allies have corralled developing countries and forced open their markets in services, industrial goods, and agriculture. Millions of women, workers, farmers, and indigenous groups will lose their livelihoods and lives.” Naty Bernardino, IGTN Asia, December 18, 2005
“The developing world can see through this “development” round. This text is nothing more than another request for Africa to mortgage her future to subsidize the economic genocidal intentions of the WEST!” Liepollo Lebohang Pheko, Gender and Trade Network Africa, December 18, 2005
“The US has shown its true intentions by offering a paltry “development package” in exchange for major concessions from developing countries on market access. Corporate profits have taken priority over the lives and livelihoods of women and men, in the developing countries, and in the US.” Kristin Sampson, U.S. Gender and Trade Network, December 18, 2005
“The battle of Hong Kong between two paradigms – market access first or development first – is lost for the global South, the poor, and for the small and vulnerable in economies all over the world. The EU has proved to be the driving force behind rapid, deeper and mandatory liberalization. The struggle about space for political decision making, protection and regulation of domestic markets has been decided in favor of corporate interests putting aside human rights, basic needs citizens’ entitlements, and social, gender and environmental justice.” Christa Wichterich, IGTN Europe/Women in Development Europe (WIIDE), December 18, 2005
