World trade chief pushed by churches on needs of poor
-18/09/06
Pascal Lamy, the Direc
World trade chief pushed by churches on needs of poor
-18/09/06
Pascal Lamy, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has emphasised the positive role faith organisations are playing in raising awareness of trade justice issues. And he recognises that the WTO needs to work for a pro-poor stance in trade rules.
The remarks came in a meeting last week with Paul Chitnis, head of the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), in his role as President of the international Catholic network CIDSE (CoopÈration Internationale pour le DÈveloppement et la SolidaritÈ).
Mr Lamy who, as WTO boss, has considerable influence over global trade negotiations crucial to developing countries, indicated he would be happy to accept an invitation to address faith based groups and parliamentarians in Scotland.
He has been under considerable pressure from church and development groups to seek a reform of unfair trade rules. Among his recent round of meetings has been one with World Council of Churches’ general secretary, the Rev Dr Samuel Kobia.
Mr Lamy called for Christian organisations within Europe and America to pressure their governments to overcome the current freeze in World Trade Organisation negotiations and to work to reach a viable trade agreement.
During the meeting with the SCIAF chief executive, Lamy recognised that the World Trade Organisation also had a responsibility to work for pro-poor trade rules.
He agreed with SCIAFís view that any agreement must focus on agriculture on which 70% of the worldís poorest people are dependent and on giving people the right to food.
Admitting that there were flaws in the governance of the WTO, Lamy noted that that ëall members are equal but some are more equal than othersí. He agreed this imbalance needed to be addressed if talks were to be successful.
Whilst supportive of the need to restart the talks, SCIAF is concerned that it is not enough for governments to reach any kind of trade agreement. The litmus test of an agreement will be whether it actively works in favour of poor people, it says.
Commenting on the meeting, Paul Chitnis declared: ìIt is encouraging both that Mr Lamy wants to engage with faith based organisations and that he restated his commitment to trade rules that work for poor people.î
However, he added: ìDeveloping countries need actions, not words. The Doha round has collapsed because of a real failure of political and moral leadership in the European Union and USA. Mr Lamy should use this current hiatus to publicly commit the WTO to the Millennium Development goals so that trade is seen as a means to reduce the poverty of the many not a licence to enrich the few.î
[Also on Ekklesia: World trade chief meets global churches leader in critical dialogue 16/09/06; Radical changes needed on trade WTO chief told by churches 14/09/06; Church agencies dismayed and angry as world trade talks collapse; Christian Aid laments feeble trade round for world’s poor; Millions of world’s poorest workers face new year misery; Faith groups emphasise ‘trade for people’; Trade justice event to be biggest lobby this year; Grant trade justice, aid and church groups tell Peter Mandelson; Santa tells Tony Blair to Make Poverty History; Trade justice hangs in the balance]
World trade chief pushed by churches on needs of poor
-18/09/06
Pascal Lamy, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has emphasised the positive role faith organisations are playing in raising awareness of trade justice issues. And he recognises that the WTO needs to work for a pro-poor stance in trade rules.
The remarks came in a meeting last week with Paul Chitnis, head of the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), in his role as President of the international Catholic network CIDSE (CoopÈration Internationale pour le DÈveloppement et la SolidaritÈ).
Mr Lamy who, as WTO boss, has considerable influence over global trade negotiations crucial to developing countries, indicated he would be happy to accept an invitation to address faith based groups and parliamentarians in Scotland.
He has been under considerable pressure from church and development groups to seek a reform of unfair trade rules. Among his recent round of meetings has been one with World Council of Churches’ general secretary, the Rev Dr Samuel Kobia.
Mr Lamy called for Christian organisations within Europe and America to pressure their governments to overcome the current freeze in World Trade Organisation negotiations and to work to reach a viable trade agreement.
During the meeting with the SCIAF chief executive, Lamy recognised that the World Trade Organisation also had a responsibility to work for pro-poor trade rules.
He agreed with SCIAFís view that any agreement must focus on agriculture on which 70% of the worldís poorest people are dependent and on giving people the right to food.
Admitting that there were flaws in the governance of the WTO, Lamy noted that that ëall members are equal but some are more equal than othersí. He agreed this imbalance needed to be addressed if talks were to be successful.
Whilst supportive of the need to restart the talks, SCIAF is concerned that it is not enough for governments to reach any kind of trade agreement. The litmus test of an agreement will be whether it actively works in favour of poor people, it says.
Commenting on the meeting, Paul Chitnis declared: ìIt is encouraging both that Mr Lamy wants to engage with faith based organisations and that he restated his commitment to trade rules that work for poor people.î
However, he added: ìDeveloping countries need actions, not words. The Doha round has collapsed because of a real failure of political and moral leadership in the European Union and USA. Mr Lamy should use this current hiatus to publicly commit the WTO to the Millennium Development goals so that trade is seen as a means to reduce the poverty of the many not a licence to enrich the few.î
[Also on Ekklesia: World trade chief meets global churches leader in critical dialogue 16/09/06; Radical changes needed on trade WTO chief told by churches 14/09/06; Church agencies dismayed and angry as world trade talks collapse; Christian Aid laments feeble trade round for world’s poor; Millions of world’s poorest workers face new year misery; Faith groups emphasise ‘trade for people’; Trade justice event to be biggest lobby this year; Grant trade justice, aid and church groups tell Peter Mandelson; Santa tells Tony Blair to Make Poverty History; Trade justice hangs in the balance]