WTO Mini Ministerial Meeting
July 21-25, 2008
Geneva, Switzerland
This week, negotiators from many member countries of WTO again meet in Geneva for a mini-ministerial meeting, in efforts to conclude the much delayed, much controversial Doha Development Round of Negotiations. Agriculture has been a contentious issue since the Round started in 2001.
We, the Asian Farmers’ Association, an alliance of national farmers organizations in Asia representing nine million farmers, were happy that major groupings of developing countries in WTO, such as the LDC group, the ACP group, and the G33, have made a statement that there will be “no deal” without adequate treatment of special products and special safeguard mechanisms. We are happy that India and Brazil, of the G20 group, continuously call for drastic cuts n the heavy subsidies given and high tariff barriers imposed by developed countries, particularly the US and EU.
The GATT-WTO-AoA has led to massive dumping of cheap agricultural products from developed countries and their transnational corporations. It has endangered, and in many cases, destroyed the livelihoods of millions of small farmers around the world.
We want the DOHA Round to be really for the development and benefit of small farmers and producers. We want it to correct the unjust imbalances in trade between poor and rich countries. We count on the members to ensure that this is done.
Up for discussion this time is the latest July 10 text. We believe that in this text, there is still no significant cuts in farm subsidies and tariffs of developed countries. The provisions on special safeguard mechanisms (SSM) are complicated and leave out in the computations the volume from regional and bilateral trades, making applications of SSM difficult and ineffective. The provisions on Special Products (SPs) are a far cry from the original proposals of G33 countries that seek self designation of SPs on the basis of livelihood and food security as well as sustainable development.
We ask developed countries to make very significant reductions in their farm subsidies and tariffs. We know that in the AoA, these should be “zero” now. We ask India and Brazil to push this agenda during the negotiations.
We ask members of G33, LDC and ACP groups to remain steadfast to the original proposals for SPs and SSM. Please do not give in to pressures of richer, developed countries. If adequate measures that respond to our concerns for food security, livelihood security and sustainable development are not addressed, then, we are one with you in saying that “no deal is better than a bad deal”.
REJECT THE JULY 10 TEXT! DO NOT SIGN TO A NEW ROUND OF AGREEMENT!
Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA)
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