Archive - Dec 2011 - Article

This afternoon, a group of civil society from the global Our World Is Not for Sale (OWINFS) network, present in Geneva for the 8th Ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO), sent a message to negotiators entering the closing plenary of the 8th Ministerial in Geneva using the Occupy Wall Street tactic of “Mic Check!”

OWINFS Supports De Schutter:
WTO has Negative Impact on Global Food Security!
We Demand Trade Rules that Support Food Security and Sovereignty

A wide variety of civil society representatives and experts from the global Our World Is Not for Sale (OWINFS) network, present in Geneva for the 8th Ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO), voiced their opposition to the idea of a standstill on tariffs in the WTO proposed within the “Pledge Against Protectionism” circulated today by a group of mostly developed countries.

Aksel Naerstad, chair of the Norwegian Trade Campaign (network organizations of labour unions, farmers’ organizations, environmental organizations, solidarity organizations and other NGOs):

In the face of the Pledge Against Protectionism, promoted by Australia, Canada, United States, Japan and the European Union on December 15, 2011, during the 8th WTO Ministerial Conference, and supported by 18 more countries including Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Costa Rica, we, undersigned, organizations from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Peru, united with over 50 civil society representatives from 30 countries attending the 8th WTO Ministerial in Geneva, Switzerland, raise our voice to denounce the Pledge Against Protectionism promoted by

Ante el Compromiso contra el proteccionismo, impulsado por Australia, Canadá, Estados Unido, Japón y la Unión Europea el día 15 de diciembre del 2011 en el marco de la 8va Conferencia Ministerial de la OMC, y firmado por otros 18 países entre ellos México, Perú, Chile, y Costa Rica, nosotros aquí firmantes, organizaciones de Argentina, Brasil, México y Perú, unidos a los más de 50 representantes de la sociedad civil de 30 países del mundo aquí presentes en Ginebra, Suiza ante la 8va Conferencia Ministerial de la OMC, nos levantamos de una sola voz para denunciar

Du 15 au 17 décembre, les représentants des Etats du monde entier sont réunis à Genève pour tenter de relancer le « Programme de Doha pour le développement »  de l’Organisation internationale du commerce (OMC). Lancé en 2001, celui-ci promettait de réparer les graves inégalités et les impacts catastrophiques pour les pays en voie de développement résultant des négociations commerciales mondiales conclues depuis 1948 et particulièrement de l’Uruguay Round, conclu en 1994.

Les pays les plus développés mettent en place un nombre d’obstacles toujours plus grand aux échanges commerciaux. En plus de cela, ces grandes puissances campent sur leurs positions, arrêtées depuis longtemps.

MEDIA RELEASE
December 16, 2011

Ottawa – The Council of Canadians is saddened by efforts from the Harper government to yet again undermine multilateralism and the demands of developing countries, this time at the WTO with a harmful “pledge against protectionism.” The social justice organization also regrets that Canada continues to expand the WTO’s Government Procurement Agreement, which unnecessarily restricts public options for supporting local, sustainable development at home and in other countries.

Reference:  Jim Fernando, KMP Campaign Officer
 
GENEVA, Switzerland – The activist peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines – KMP) today assailed the “Pledge Against Protectionism” statement being circulated and asked for signing by countries headed by the United States and European Union at the 8th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland.