Archbishop and unions back trade justice in Hong Kong
-10/12/05
The Anglican Archbishop
Archbishop and unions back trade justice in Hong Kong
-10/12/05
The Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town has joined the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in calling for renewed efforts by developing country negotiators to secure trade justice in next weekís Hong Kong ministerial conference, reports Business Day.
The sixth World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial conference convenes from Tuesday to Sunday next week. NGOs and campaigners from humanitarian and faith groups are pushing rich world governments to take decisive action.
At a media conference, Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, successor to acclaimed Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu, said that behind the complex economics and technical jargon lay decisions that would have a significant effect on everyone on the planet.
He declared: ìWe believe that trade has the potential to contribute to development in the weaker countries,î he said and warned that failing to reform the current trade system would push developing countries ìdeeper into povertyî.
If Africa increased its share of world exports by just one per cent, this would generate about 70 billion US dollars in income, ìroughly five times what the entire continent receives in aidî, the Archbishop added.
Ndungane called on local and other African government representatives in Hong Kong to stand firm ìon their agreed positions on the development rights and needs of their peopleî.
COSATU Western Cape general secretary Tony Ehrenreich also urged the South African government to work with other developing countries to ensure that the terms of trade were changed ìand that the discussions rather focus on what needs to be done to promote sustainable development in a rapidly globalising worldî.
[Also on Ekklesia: Santa tells Tony Blair to Make Poverty History 09/12/05; Trade justice event to be biggest lobby this year; Trade Justice A Christian Response; Tory leadership candidate attacks Christian agency on trade justice; [Christian Aid laments receding trade talk hopes; Chancellor warns Christians that global justice will take a long haul; Campaigners gear up for third White Band Day; Christian adoption scheme exposes fowl trade rules]
Archbishop and unions back trade justice in Hong Kong
-10/12/05
The Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town has joined the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in calling for renewed efforts by developing country negotiators to secure trade justice in next week’s Hong Kong ministerial conference, reports Business Day.
The sixth World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial conference convenes from Tuesday to Sunday next week. NGOs and campaigners from humanitarian and faith groups are pushing rich world governments to take decisive action.
At a media conference, Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, successor to acclaimed Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu, said that behind the complex economics and technical jargon lay decisions that would have a significant effect on everyone on the planet.
He declared: ‘We believe that trade has the potential to contribute to development in the weaker countries,’ he said and warned that failing to reform the current trade system would push developing countries ‘deeper into poverty’.
If Africa increased its share of world exports by just one per cent, this would generate about 70 billion US dollars in income, ‘roughly five times what the entire continent receives in aid’, the Archbishop added.
Ndungane called on local and other African government representatives in Hong Kong to stand firm ‘on their agreed positions on the development rights and needs of their people’.
COSATU Western Cape general secretary Tony Ehrenreich also urged the South African government to work with other developing countries to ensure that the terms of trade were changed ‘and that the discussions rather focus on what needs to be done to promote sustainable development in a rapidly globalising world’.
[Also on Ekklesia: Santa tells Tony Blair to Make Poverty History 09/12/05; Trade justice event to be biggest lobby this year; Trade Justice A Christian Response; Tory leadership candidate attacks Christian agency on trade justice; [Christian Aid laments receding trade talk hopes; Chancellor warns Christians that global justice will take a long haul; Campaigners gear up for third White Band Day; Christian adoption scheme exposes fowl trade rules]