[Dialogue] Emailing: The Oakland Institute Collapse of WTO Doha Negotiations A Blow to the US - EU Hegemony.htm

[Harry Wainwright]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2008
5:46 PM 


CONTACT: The Oakland  <http://www.oaklandinstitute.org/> Institute
Anuradha Mittal amittal at oaklandinstitute.org; 
(510) 530-5126

 	

Collapse of WTO Doha Negotiations:
A Blow to the US - EU Hegemony
The Collapse Paves a New Way Forward for Developing Countries
 	
OAKLNAD, California - July 29 - The collapse of the Doha Round of global
trade talks in Geneva today marks a victory for small farmers and workers in
developing countries whose governments stood up to the pressure and arm
twisting tactics of the U.S. and the EU over the last week. 


While India and China are being singled out for the collapse of talks, they
were not alone in standing firm. The Special Products (SP)/Special Safeguard
Mechanism (SSM) issues in agriculture which took center stage, were concerns
of about 100 developing countries represented by various groups (G33,
Africa, ACP, LDCs, SVEs). More important, the negotiations failed because
the U.S. and the EU want to continue their domination of international trade
of agricultural commodities. Their responsibility is evident in their
extreme market access demands, combined with a lack of commitment to real
development objectives in the so called "Development" round. 

The rich nations, along with the International Financial Institutions such
as the WTO, World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, presented the
rapid conclusion of the Doha negotiations as a solution to the current food
price crisis. However, it is widely recognized that opening of markets,
removal of tariffs, and withdrawal of state intervention in agriculture, has
turned developing countries from net food exporters to net food importers
and burdened them with huge import bills. This process which leaves the poor
dependent on uncertain and volatile global markets for their food supply,
has wiped out millions of livelihoods and placed nearly half the humanity at
the brink of hunger and starvation. 

The collapse of talks will surely be lamented upon as a missed opportunity
for the developing world, as it has been in the past. The truth is that the
so called "Development " Round marketed as a way out of hunger and poverty,
would have further perpetuated an unfair and inequitable international trade
system in the name of creating multilateral trade rules. 

The collapse, however, presents new opportunities for the way forward. 

It has resuscitated democracy where pressure from civil society
organizations, social movements, trade unions, and farmers organizations
could challenge and withstand "poorwashing" PR efforts, corporate interests,
and even political pressure on heads of governments from President Bush and
Prime Minister Brown. 

It has opened the door for developing countries to regain ownership of their
food and agricultural policies which should meet the needs of their people
and not the dictates of the IFIs. 

And finally, it shows that policy makers can prioritize human rights such as
food, health, water, and education over trade agreements. 

The Oakland Institute is a progressive policy think tank working to increase
public participation and to promote fair debate on social, economic, and
environmental policy issues. 

###

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